Sunil Jakhar says party won't seek Sirsa Dera's support for Lok Sabha polls

JALANDHAR: Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar said on Friday that his party would not have any truck with Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda for parliamentary elections.

He said a recent statement by former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur indicated that the Shiromani Akali Dal had still not shut its door on the Dera when it came to support for elections.

"We will not compromise with the Dera for elections, especially after sacrilege incidents have been traced to them," Jakhar said, responding to a query on whether the party would seek the sect's support this time, like it had done for polls earlier.

Jakhar said all Deras could not be treated alike. Jakhar said Jagir Kaur had announced that while she would not be taking the Dera's support, only party president Sukhbir Singh Badal could explain SAD's overall decision. The Congress leader said this indicated that SAD had still not shut its door on taking the sect's support and was keeping its channels and options open.

"Bibi has said very little but this speaks volumes about SAD's approach, as Kaur could not explain the party stand on this issue. In fact, this amounts to Sukhbir's indictment. Such a statement is not coming from an ordinary leader, but a very senior leader of SAD, one who has served as the president of SGPC in the past and is now the party candidate for parliamentary elections," Jakhar added.