2 Independents meet Cong leaders

CHANDIGARH: In a major jolt to the ruling SAD-BJP alliance in the state, two independent MLAs - Sangat Singh Gilzian (Tanda) and Madan Lal Thekedar (Ghanaur) - have left to join Congress ranks. The two leaders met Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on Friday.
������The initial plan was to induct them into the party as primary members but technical compulsions which refrained us from doing so,������ party sources said.SAD had faced similar problems earlier, when it tried to take them into the party fold. Asked to confirm reports, the MLAs told TOI, ������Formal letters in this regard would be sent to the Punjab Governor early next week.������
At present, the SAD-BJP alliance has the support of four independent MLAs. Besides the Tanda and Ghanaur MLAs, there are Charanjit Singh (Kurali) and Iqbal Singh Jhunda (Dhuri), who defeated Gaganajit Singh Barnala. Ajit Singh Shant, an independent candidate who won from Nihalsinghwala, was always with the Congress.
The cross-over is unlikely to affected the ruling alliance. In the 117-seat house, Akalis have 46 MLAs and the BJP, 19. ������Chandumajra is a close and dear friend, I want to work for him from bottom of my heart.
But I am helpless. No one in the SAD-BJP alliance has listened to my problems. I took chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to my constituency twice, but unfortunately, neither he nor others er gave me the respect I deserved as people���s representative.������