Parminder Singh Dhindsa
In his first reaction after quitting as SAD legislature party leader in Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, son of disgruntled veteran Akali leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, on Saturday said he was with his father and backed the stand had taken “on ethics”.
“I stand by my father. I back the stand he has taken on ethics,” Parminder told The Indian Express on Saturday, emerging out of nearly 20 day- oblivion during which he skipped party event where Sukhbir Singh Badal was elected as party president for third time in a row.
“My father has already made it clear that he wants to bring party back to its origin, back to principles. We want to strengthen the party. If we look at the history it has a great legacy and he (senior Dhindsa) wants the party should work on those lines.”
Parminder added, “It is not individual fight against anyone. It is just his (senior Dhindsa’s) effort that party should come be back to its origin and to the core issues it was formed for. Parminder said, “The core ideology of the party was to fight for the Panthic issues.” He added, “Power was the by product of the party’s ideology…but power has become the primary objective now.”
Parminder’s father Sukhdev Dhindsa had been claiming his support saying his son can never go against him. Senior Dhindsa has been questioning the functioning of SAD under the command of Sukhbir Badal as party president. He has been demanding that Sukhbir Badal should step down as party president following humiliating performance of SAD in the 2017 Assembly election, in which the party finished third.
Veterans Ranjit Singh Brahampura, Sewa Singh Sekhwan and Rattan Singh Ajnala had also questioned the leadership of Sukhbir. While the trio formed a separate political outfit SAD (Taksali), both senior Dhindsa and Parminder remain primary members of SAD with the former pushing for a change while remaining in the party.
