india

Updated: Feb 06, 2019 15:43 IST

Nearly two months after resigning from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), former Indian Army chief General JJ Singh (retd) joined the SAD (Taksali) outfit on Wednesday.

JJ Singh had resigned from the SAD in December last year citing personal reasons but had also said there was a “disillusionment” with the party leadership. He had also served as the president of the SAD’s ex-servicemen wing.

The first Sikh chief of the army and former Governor of Arunachal Pradesh had joined the Akali Dal on the eve of the Punjab assembly election in 2017. He had unsuccessfully contested against Congress veteran Captain Amarinder Singh, now the Punjab chief minister, from his bastion Patiala.

JJ Singh said on Wednesday it was a “mistake” to join SAD after he became the member of the new outfit, which he described as the genuine Taksali party of Punjab.

“The SAD and Congress are working hand in glove. They tried their best to ruin my status,” he said. “The SAD is a commercial party which has been running hotels and many more business in the state,” he said.

When he joined the SAD in 2017, JJ Singh had said he chose the Parkash Singh Badal-led party over the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party because of the work they had done to promote heritage and restore the hurt pride of the Sikhs.

He joined the Taksali brigade in presence of SAD (Taksali) president Ranjit Singh Brahmpura and senior vice-president Rattan Singh Ajnala.

Brahmpura said with the inclusion of JJ Singh, his party has become stronger in Punjab.

JJ Singh became the 22nd army chief in 2005 and retired from the force in 2007.