New Delhi: Sukhbir Singh Badal, the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, on Monday attacked Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann saying he didn’t consider the latter a Sikh. He also accused AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal of running the Punjab government instead of Mann, saying the Delhi CM was also the CM of the border state.

“I do not consider him a Sikh. He wears a turban to show that he is a Sikh. He does not know the history of Sikhs. We feel sad when we see him and hear his statements. They (AAP) are looting Punjab and Arvind Kejriwal is the CM of Punjab today, not Bhagwant Mann,” he said.

Bhagwant Mann-led AAP won 92 seats in Punjab in the 2022 assembly elections, scoring a landslide victory. The Congress was second with 18 seats. Badal’s Akali Dal could win only 12 seats.

Badal appealed to the Sikh population to remain united.

“The population of Muslims in the country is about 18% but they have no leadership because they are not united… We are 2% but we are united under Sri Akal Takht Sahib. I appeal to all of you not to be divided and remain united…Shiromani Akali Dal will establish party units in all the states.,” he said.

The AAP is a part of the INDIA alliance. However, both the Congress and the AAP have indicated they will contest the 2024 general elections in Punjab alone.

Meanwhile, Paramjit S Sarna, the Delhi unit chief of SAD, said his party can form an alliance with the BJP.

“We have no hesitation for an alliance with BJP (for 2024 Lok Sabha elections), but SAD is the bigger partner in Punjab. If they (BJP) agree to the clauses that were put forward by late Parkash Singh Badal earlier, we are ready to join hands with them. Meanwhile, we have decided to form a unit of Akali Dal in Mumbai. We also have in the pipeline the formation of Akali Dal Bihar and Jharkhand,” he added.

With inputs from PTI, ANI