Chandigarh----  The tidal wave of Shiromani Akali Dal today swept away another strong pillar from the dismantled structure of Punjab Pradesh Congress Party (PPCC) as one of the senior most Congress leaders from Punjab Congress Mr. Avtar Singh Brar joined Shiromani Akali Dal along with his supporters in the presence of party patron Mr. Parkash Singh Badal and party President Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal.

          Mr. Avtar Singh Brar, a traditional congressman and three times MLA had been the education minister in Mr. Beant Singh regime besides holding the senior positions in the party like Member All India Congress Committee (AICC), three times Vice President of PPCC and General Secretary Congress Legislative Party (CLP). This was said to be the major blow to the Congress party in Malwa region.

          Welcoming Mr. Avtar Singh Brar in the party folds, Chief Minister Punjab Mr. Parkash Singh Badal said that he personally welcomed the decision taken by Mr. Brar as it would further strengthen the Shiromani akali Dal. He said that Mr. Brar was in politics from last 40 years and Shiromani Akali Dal would utilize his experience to extend its reach at grass root level.

          Quoting the desertion of a committed and one of the top three senior leaders of Punjab Congress as a measure of level of frustration in the party, Deputy Chief Minister Punjab Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that this day would be considered as historic day in Punjab politics as a leader like Mr. Avtar Singh Brar who spent his entire life to nurture the Congress party took decision to join the Shiromani Akali Dal after feeling suffocated and ignored in his own party. He said that it was a signal that all the honest and dedicated leaders in the congress party were feeling uncomfortable in the corrupt, anti-people and anti nation Congress party. He said this desertion also depicted the strength of tidal wave flowing in favour of Shiromani Akali Dal in the state and Mr. Modi in nation. Later replying to media queries, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that Congress was on the verge of extinction and all the allies of UPA would divert their ways day-by-day before parliamentary elections. In response to a question regarding UPA’ decision to hike diesel, LPG and Kerosene oil prices; he said that Congress party was in self destruction mode and working as a human bomb with a mission to destroy the nation along with its extinction.

          Giving his reasons to join Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr. Avtar Singh Brar said that the state leadership of Congress party was in the hands of the leaders who have nothing to count as their contribution to the party or to the state. He said that he and other senior leaders of Congress party were dismayed by this state leadership as they have left them as orphans. He said that that there was no point to serve in a party whose leaders were not sensitive to the feelings of the senior party leaders. Mr. Brar gave a brief account of his contribution to the party and said that he felt hurt by the ignorance shown by the present state and national leadership of the Congress party. He forecasted that after historic defeat in the ensuing parliamentary elections not only state unit but whole Congress party would break into segments.

          Prominent amongst others Mrs. Parmjeet Kaur Gulshan, MP and President Istri Akali Dal, Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Cabinet Minister, Mr. Mantar Singh Brar, CPS, Mr. Deep Malhotra, MLA, famous Punjabi Lyricist Mr. Babu Singh Mann and Parambans Singh Bunty Romana were also present on the occasion.