COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Pro-Tohra Akalis form youth wing

The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal today suffered a big jolt when pro-Tohra loyalists formed a new Youth Akali Dal at a meeting.

Karnail Singh Panjoli was appointed convenor of the new party and Randhir Singh Rakhra its chief spokesman. The meeting also nominated a 51-member ad hoc committee.

The meeting alleged that both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party were entirely responsible for the mid-term Lok Sabha polls. It was decided at the meeting that the new Youth Akali Dal would contest elections independently and it appealed to all regional parties to form a ''front'' during the mid-term polls for ensuring a stable government at the Centre. The new Youth Dal expressed its willingness to reach a compromise with SAD president Parkash Singh Badal if he surrendered before the Akal Takht and accepted punishment.

The meeting criticised SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur for allegedly harassing pro-Tohra SGPC employees.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report