The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today said former chief minister and SAD (Longowal) leader Surjit Singh Barnala had finally shown his true colours and proved that he was all along a Congress stooge who had bartered the interests of the 'panth' and the State for his own selfish family interests.In a statement here, SAD Secretary General Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said Mr Barnala and his rag tag party the SAD (Longowal) had become irrelevant in Punjab and realising this Mr Barnala had decided to support the Congress in a foolhardy attempt to create a political future for his family."However by doing so Mr Barnala has proved that his outfit was all along a B team of the Congress", the senior akali leader, who is contesting the Sangrur parliamentary seat as the SAD candidate, disclosed. He said it was despicable that Mr Barnala had arrived at a deal with the Congress as had been corroborated by Punjab Congress President Partap Singh Bajwa in a press conference today.
The SAD leader said Mr Barnala would however have to answer several questions which the people of the State had already started asking. "People were already smelling a rate and doubting Mr Barnala's integrity considering the fact that he was unable to get any of the pro Punjab demands in the Rajiv - Longowal accord fulfilled. It is a fact that the pro Punjab demand for the transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab was never implemented even as Barnala presided over the digging up of the Sutluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal which was to transfer Punjab waters to Haryana. People are no longer inclined to believe that this was just incidental keeping in view Mr Barnala's softness towards the Congress which has today ensured that he has landed up in their lap", Mr Dhindsa said.The senior akali also reminded the people that Mr Surjit Singh Barnala endorsed Operation Bluestar and had also presided over Operation Black Thunder which resulted in the re entry of the armed forces into the Darbar Sahib complex.
Mr Dhindsa while welcoming SAD Longowal's open alliance with the Congress, said the real character of Mr Barnala and his outfit had been laid bare to the people of Sangrur as well as those of Punjab. "Mr Barnala had been befooling the people by claiming to be part of the akali fold but his latest marriage of convenience with the Congress will ensure his complete rejection in the State. Opportunism does not succeed in politics and such unholy alliances will meet the fate they deserve" he said adding the people of the State had already made up their mind and would vote for the formation of the NDA government at the centre.