Miffed at SAD-BJP, Sehajdhari Sikh Party to back Congress

National president of SSP, Dr Paramjeet Singh Ranu, said, “We have taken a decision to help the Congress but not before we meet Punjab Congress President Captain Amarinder Singh. We requested for a meeting with him and a subsequent joint press conference, but we have not heard from them yet. It is surprising that they have gone to the media.”

He said the SSP has been supporting Congress since 2002 elections. “We will appeal to all Sehajdhari Sikhs to vote for the Congress. We feel cheated by the SAD and BJP who are working against the rights of Sehajdhari Sikhs,” he said.

Dr Ranu said there were about 70 lakh Sehajdhari Sikhs in Punjab. “We feel deprived of our rights. We have also appealed to the SAD’s Students Organisation of India, represented mostly by Sehajdhari Sikhs, to support the Congress,” he said.

The SSP president said the Akalis had divided the Sikh community by passing the divisive Bill in the Lok Sabha and the BJP helped its alliance partner in doing so.

Once the official announcement is made, the SSP, which has listed 10 star campaigners for Punjab Assembly elections, would canvass for the Congress, Dr Ranu said.