Chandigarh, Feb 24,2023:  Leaders expelled from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have raised a tirade against party chief Sukhbir Badal and his close aides by saying they should be removed from the party to ‘save’ it from extinction.

Leading the rebels, former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur said the SAD under the Badals’ rule had propagated mafia culture and corruption in the state.

Besides Bibi Jagir Kaur, the prominent rebel leaders comprise former minister Sarwan Singh Phillaur who held a meeting in Kapurthala’s Begowal on Thursday.

Bibi Jagir Kaur announced they are going to travel state-wide to mobilise workers to save the Akali Dal.

“The Akali Dal can be saved only if Badals and their associates are shunted out of the party. From 2007 to 2017, the SAD under the Badals’ rule had propagated mafia culture and corruption in the state,” she said.

After parting ways from SAD, Kaur lost the SGPC elections to SAD candidate and incumbent president Harjinder Singh Dhami.

SAD in November last year expelled Bibi Jagir Kaur from the party for indulging in anti-party activities, including becoming party to a conspiracy to break the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).