India Diary: Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa joins BJP, resigns as Delhi gurdwara body chief

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a move perceived by several farm leaders as BJP’s attempt to reach out to Sikh voters ahead of the 2022 assembly elections. All this and more in our weekly news segment from India.

Shiromani Akali Dal leader and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chief Manjinder Singh Sirsa welcomed into the BJP. Source: Twitter

Before joining the BJP, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the former Rajouri Garden MLA from New Delhi, also announced his resignation from Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC).

Mr Sirsa, who is also considered to be close to the ‘Badal’ family in Punjab, shared his resignation on Twitter, saying, “With gratitude to all office bearers, members, staff & people who worked with me; I am resigning from Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee as president. I will not contest the upcoming DSGMC internal elections. My commitment to serve my community, humanity & nation remains the same!”

Mr Sirsa met Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda in Delhi and officially joined BJP in the presence of Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

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