Denied ticket for the second time in row, the veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Minister Madan Mohan Mittal on Saturday joined the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

Mittal, the four-time legislator, was upset after the saffron party ignored his request to field his son, Arvind Mittal, from Anandpur Sahib. Arvind, in order to pursue his career in politics, had left the job of Additional Advocate General in Punjab in 2015. In fact, in 2017 also, Mittal was seeking party ticket for his son, which was also refused.

On both occasions — in 2017 polls and this time in 2022, the saffron brigade chose a former District Planning Board president Dr Parminder Sharma as its candidate. Mittal was sitting MLA from Anandpur Sahib when he was denied party ticket in 2017. Dr Sharma lost to Congress candidate Rana KP Singh in 2017. This time again, BJP has fielded Dr Sharma ignoring the Mittals’ claims.

As per information available, senior SAD leader had met disgruntled Mittal on Thursday, that day BJP announced its candidate from Anandpur Sahib. It is believed that Mittal was promised a ticket to his elder son, Arvind Mittal, from Anandpur Sahib seat — which is currently in the share of SAD’s ally, BSP. SAD is contesting 2022 state assembly polls from 97 seats in alliance with BSP which will field its candidates on 20 seats.

Sources maintained that BSP may drop its candidate Nitin Nanda to pave way for Mittal’s candidature. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, on whether Mittal would contest the forthcoming elections from Anandpur Sahib, said that that decision would be left to the BSP.

Mittal, who was instrumental in cementing communal ties after a period of strife along with former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, said: “I had always stood alongside Badal saab, who is a symbol of unity; and would also stand alongside Sukhbir Singh Badal who is carrying forward the same legacy.”

He also lauded SAD president Sukhbir Badal for fast tracking development during his stint in the Government as Deputy Chief Minister as well as bringing in massive investment into the State.

Accompanied by his son Arvind Mittal and the entire rank and file of the BJP of Anandpur Sahib constituency, Mittal said that he was also resigning from the BJP to fight the injustice being done to the constituency.

“While all projects had been taken away from Anandpur Sahib during the Congress regime, the local BJP leadership failed to safeguard the rights of its people. We have seen rampant illegal mining in Anandpur Sahib constituency which needs to be stopped. Truckers and truck unions have also been robbed of their livelihood. I have stepped forward to work for the welfare of Anandpur Sahib and end the discrimination being meted out to it,” he said.

Welcoming Mittal into the SAD fold, Sukhbir appointed him the party’s halqa incharge from the seat. Sukhbir also announced the appointment of Mittal as SAD’s senior-vice president.