Punjab: SAD MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali from Dakha boycotts presidential poll

LUDHIANA: In a major embarrassment for the Badal family-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), one of its three MLAs, Manpreet Singh Ayali from Dakha boycotted the presidential election and refused to cast his vote. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, with the consensus of the party's core committee and two MPs and three MLAs, had over a fortnight ago decided to support BJP candidate Droupadi Murmu.
Apart from Ayali, SAD's MLAs in the 117-member Punjab legislative assembly are Banga MLA Dr Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi and Majitha MLA Ganieve Kaur Majithia.
On Monday, Ayali went live on his Facebook page and elaborated on his reasons for the boycott and criticised his own party for not consulting him before supporting the BJP's presidential candidate. Ayali also demanded leadership change in the Akali party.
Ayali claimed that he took this decision based upon the sentiments of the Sikhs, unresolved issues of Punjab, and the feedback he got from his supporters, some leaders of his own party, several intellectuals, and leaders of the Sikh community. SAD made it clear that he was not against BJP candidate Droupadi Murmu but would not cast his vote because BJP had failed to resolve the issues of Sikhs and Punjab. Even now, the party is taking decisions against Punjab, allowing Haryana to construct a new assembly building in Chandigarh, and banning songs like SYL which speak of the rights of the Punjabis, Ayali added.
The SAD MLA said that his party had made a lot of mistakes due to which it is now left with only three MLAs in spite of being the only political party that represents the Sikhs ."