Rebel SAD MLA Ayali joins Amritpal’s Waris Punjab De

Chandigarh: Rebel Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali on Tuesday joined Akali Dal Waris Punjab De (WPD), the Akali faction led by jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, saying the outfit had filled the vacuum in Akali politics.The Dakha MLA joined the party nearly three weeks after parting ways with SAD (Punar Surjit), the breakaway Akali faction formed in Aug last year following a membership drive conducted by an Akal Takht-mandated committee, of which Ayali was a member.Ayali joined Akali Dal (WPD) in the presence of Amritpal's father Tarsem Singh, Faridkot MP Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa and Mandeep Singh Sidhu, brother of late actor-activist Deep Sidhu, founder of Waris Punjab De.Speaking to reporters, Ayali dismissed suggestions that joining the party meant endorsing a separatist agenda. "We will definitely go as per democracy. We will follow the Akali Dal principles," he said.He also ruled out any alliance with the BJP and said the party would focus on issues such as Chandigarh's transfer to Punjab, inclusion of Punjabi-speaking areas in the state, release of Bandi Singhs, unemployment, law and order, and the agrarian crisis.Ayali also batted for long-pending SGPC elections. "The SGPC elections will decide with whom the community stands," he said.Calling it imperative for Punjab to have a strong regional party, Ayali said he had tried to bring various Akali factions together but those efforts did not succeed. "No one has a problem with the Akali Dal, but with the leadership," he said.Welcoming Ayali, Tarsem Singh said his joining was part of the party's outreach to those "working for the interests of Punjab". "We requested Ayali Sahib to join us and he accepted it," he said.Mandeep Singh Sidhu said Ayali's entry would strengthen the party organisationally ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. "We lacked such an experienced person. Today we are laying the foundation stone of a blueprint to take on our political opponents in the upcoming 2027 Punjab elections," he said.