LS ex-Deputy Speaker Atwal quits Akali Dal

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Jalandhar, April 19

Former Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha and former Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha Charanjit Singh Atwal (86) on Wednesday announced his resignation from the primary membership of the Shiromani Akali Dal. The development comes days after his elder son Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal joined the BJP and was picked as the party candidate for the Jalandhar Lok Sabha byelection.

His younger son Jasjeet Atwal announced it on Facebook, writing, “My father Dr Charanjit Singh Atwal resigns from the primary membership and all other positions held in the Shiromani Akali Dal. He devoted nearly 70 years of his life span to SAD. I take this opportunity to salute the hero of my life for his dedication and devotion towards the service of humanity.”

A prominent Majhbi Sikh leader Atwal was the SAD nominee from Jalandhar in 2019 LS poll.

He had lost by 19,000 votes from the late Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary.

Atwal was the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2009 and the Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha for two tenures from 1997-2002 and again from 2012-17. In 2001, he was elected from the Phillaur Lok Sabha seat.

Son bjp nominee

• Charanjit Singh Atwal was the Deputy Speaker of the LS from 2004 to 2009 and the Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha for two tenures from 1997-2002 and again from 2012-17
• In 2001, the Mazhabi leader was elected from the Phillaur Lok Sabha seat
• His son is BJP’s candidate for the Jalandhar byelection