While addressing an election rally in favour of the All India Shiromani Akali Dal candidate for the Patiala Lok Sabha seat, Prof Prem Singh Chandimajra, at Anardana Chock here late yesterday, he said Badal had failed to get accepted all the outstanding issues concerning the state and the Sikhs, including the Udham Singh Nagar problem, from the BJP-led government and turned SAD into a BJP unit.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, instead of using his power to resolve the issues concerning the state, Badal has been busy trying to get his son, Sukhbir Singh Badal, promoted from being a state minister to a cabinet minister, he said. He exhorted people not to caste their votes in favour of the "anti-panthic forces" like Badal's party. He said if ever there was an opportunity for the people to get rid of Badal, it was now. Speaking on the occasion, Avtar Singh Autopine, president of Akali Dal, Delhi, said Badal had never cared for the welfare of the Sikhs settled outside Punjab and only used them to raise money whenever the need arose.

Others who also addressed the rally included Surjit Singh Kohli, MLA, Patiala and Mann Singh Sethi, Mohinder Singh Sehgal, Saroop Singh Sehgal, Harpal Singh Sehgal, Kulwant Singh Sethi, Surinder Singh Sabherwal, all SGPC members.