Chandigarh [India], October 25 : Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday welcomed senior Congress leader and former Jalalabad MLA Raminder Singh Awla into the party, expressing confidence that his entry would strengthen the Akali Dal in the constituency and across the border belt ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a post on X, Badal said Awla's joining the party was a welcome development and expressed hope that he would work towards strengthening the SAD.
"It is a pleasure to welcome senior Congress leader and former MLA from Jalalabad, Raminder Singh Awla, into the Shiromani Akali Dal fold," Badal said.
Recalling his association with Jalalabad, Badal said the constituency had given him the opportunity to serve its people three times and witnessed significant development during Akali governments.
"Jalalabad gave me the opportunity to serve it thrice. It is also a constituency which witnessed revolutionary development during the Akali governments," he said.
Badal expressed confidence that Awla's induction would help strengthen the party's organisational presence in the constituency and the wider border region, with the aim of securing victory in the 2027 elections.
"Now with Mr Awla joining the party, I am confident he will put in his best to strengthen the @Akali_Dal_
 in this constituency as well as the entire border belt to ensure the party’s victory in 2027," he added.
Yesterday, Sukhbir Badal and a party delegation met the Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and submitted a memorandum outlining four demands, including the dismissal of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
In a post on X, Badal said the delegation also sought immediate action against ministers, MLAs and bureaucrats allegedly patronising the drug trade amid the killing of Shaheed Bhai Parvinder Singh Jhota.
“Shiromani Akali Dal delegation met the Governor of Punjab over the killing of Shaheed Bhai Parvinder Singh Jhota and presented a memorandum with 4 key demands. Immediate dismissal of Guru Dokhi Chief Minister @BhagwantMann and Action against all ministers, MLAs and bureaucrats patronising the drug trade," Badal wrote.
The memorandum also sought a Class-I government job for the widow of Jhota, Bibi Manpreet Kaur, along with compensation of Rs 2 crore.
He said, "A Class-I job for the anti-drug crusader’s widow Bibi Manpreet Kaur and Rs 2 crore compensation on humanitarian grounds (though the family and action committee have not sought this)."The party also demanded that the CBI investigation be expanded to include the cases of Gulzar Singh of Toor Banjara in Dirba and Bikramjit Singh of Sri Hargobindpur Sahib.
"Expansion of the CBI probe to cover the cases of Gulzar Singh of Toor Banjara (Dirba), who named FM Harpal Cheema in his dying declaration, and Bikramjit Singh of Sri Hargobindpur Sahib, who was hacked to death for opposing the drug trade," he said.