Former Army chief General JJ Singh joins Ranjit Singh Brahmpura's SAD (Taksali)

Nearly two months after he resigned from the SAD, former Army chief General JJ Singh on Wednesday joined the Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali). He joined the recently floated outfit in the presence of SAD (Taksali) chief Ranjit Singh Brahmpura in Amritsar.  JJ Singh, who also served as Governor of Arunachal Pradesh earlier, had joined the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) led by Sukhbir Singh Badal ahead of the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls. He had unsuccessfully contested the assembly polls against Congress' Amarinder Singh (present chief minister) from the latter's stronghold Patiala.

On December 12 last year, he had resigned from the SAD citing personal reasons. Talking to reporters after joining the SAD (Taksali), JJ Singh said he was always committed for the well-being of Punjab and wanted to serve the nation from the core of his heart. He said during the Lok Sabha elections, he will help the party to put up a winning performance.

"It is a matter of pride that such a noble personality, who was the first Army chief from the Sikh community, has joined our party," Brahmpura said. Brahmpura and some other Taksali Akalis (old guard), who had last year raised their voice against SAD's alleged deviation from its core principles, had later floated a separate outfit.