Former SAD leader Iqbal Singh Jhundan formally joined Akali Dal Waris Punjab De here today, nearly three weeks after quitting SAD (Punar Surjit) and announcing support for the party.The induction ceremony was held in the presence of Tarsem Singh, father of Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, Dakha MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali, and other party leaders. Jhundan is a two-time former SAD MLA, having represented Dhuri in 2007 and Amargarh in 2012. He was also the party’s candidate from the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat in 2024.He had earlier headed a 13-member panel on SAD’s course correction following the party’s debacle in the 2022 Assembly election. The panel had submitted a report recommending a change in leadership at the top, a ‘one family, one MLA’ formula, a two-year term for the president, and seeking an apology for the mistakes committed during the party’s rule in the state from 2007 to 2017.Addressing the gathering, Jhundan said, “On July 21, I held a joint press conference with Akali Dal Waris Punjab De and announced our decision to move forward under the leadership of MP Amritpal Singh. Instead of appreciating the effort for Panthic unity, I was expelled from the party. In protest, some other leaders also resigned. We felt there is a need for all Panthic groups to rise above political and personal interests, accept the leadership of Amritpal Singh and come together on one platform. Therefore, we have officially joined this party.”He added that district-wise meetings would be held across Punjab with leaders, workers and recruitment organisers, and they would be inducted into Waris Punjab De to further advance Panthic unity. Jhundan also appealed to other Akali factions to come together under Amritpal Singh’s leadership instead of placing hope in BJP or parties run from Delhi.