Parminder Dhindsa quits as SAD legislative party leader

Days after his father and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa rebelled against the top Akali leadership, former Punjab finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa on Friday resigned from the post of the leader of the SAD legislative party.

Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa had opened a front against the party leadership, especially its chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, in a bid to "liberate" the SAD from the Badal family and "revive its lost glory".

Former minister and current Sahnewal MLA Sharanjit Singh Dhillon will now be the new leader of the SAD legislative party in the state assembly, said Sukhbir Singh Badal in a statement here.

Badal accepted the one-line resignation of Dhindsa, a two-time finance minister, on Friday.

Senior Akali leader Daljit Singh Cheema said the former finance, who was appointed the leader of the legislative party in August last year, had not given any reason for his resignation.

His resignation came days after his father Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa joined hands with SAD splinter groups.

Parminder Singh Dhindsa had also skipped the programme held to mark the 99th foundation day of the party on December 14, but Badal had then said that he had taken permission from him to go to Mumbai for an urgent job.

Parminder Singh Dhindsa, who is an MLA from Lehra, had gone incommunicado after his father aligned with SAD (Taksali) leaders.