Congress leaders set to join Akalis: Sukhbir Singh Badal

Chandigarh, Apr 2:

president

on Wednesday said senior

leaders were set to join the Akalis and appeals by

would have no effect on them.

"Senior Congress leaders are ringing me up at all hours with requests to join the SAD. I am myself overwhelmed by the manner in which the senior rank and file of the Congress is deserting the party," Sukhbir said, adding that he would induct them into the SAD soon.

The appeal for "home-coming" made by former Congress state chief Amarinder Singh was laughable, the deputy chief minister said. "He has no authority to make the appeal having lost out to Partap Singh Bajwa as far as presidentship of the state Congress unit is concerned," he said.

Stating that induction of Congress leaders at grassroots level had been a continuous process for nearly two years, he said "the desertion of the grassroots leaders at village and block level" has given jitters to senior leaders, and was "the main reason why they too wanted to desert the Congress ship".

PTI