LONGOWAL (Sangrur): Off late, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), traditionally a Sikh party, was now again trying to regain its identity of being repersentative party of Sikhs. The changing face of SAD was evident at Sant Harchand Singh Longowal function here Wednesday.

SAD had adopted face of Punjabi party in January this year after the coronation of Sukhbir Singh Badal its president.

Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is the first non baptised president of SAD restrained from occupying the leading position and instead during his speech he declared that now every political battle in state and country will be fought in the leadership of party supremeo and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

SAD general secretary Capt. Kanwaljit Singh had raised the issue early this month that according to the constitution of party only a baptised Sikh should lead the party. Strategically Both Badals have avoided using any word against Sikh Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. Both of them were hard hitters for Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Sukhbir Singh Badal went for the low and said that "the conspiracy to weaken the Khalsa Panth had been hatched at 10 Jan Path."  Repeatedly warning Sonia Gandhi by name, Sukhbir Singh said that the motive behind the move appeared to be the Congress desperation the face of its failures on every conceivable front, including the inability to control the spiraling price hike and inflation.

"The Congress perhaps thinks that its only chance of returning to power lay in reviving the "anti-Sikh" card to deflect national attention from issues of mis-governance. But Sonia is mistaken, because we are not going to allow her to isolate us like her infamous mother-in-law had done.

The political observers felt SAD which was on back foot by opposing the trust motion of Dr. Singh in parliament in Punjab now wanted to improve their image in Sikhs particularly in urban Sikhs. SAD will now again exploiting Sikhs issue to prove that it is a Sikh party not a Punjabi party.

Sources in SAD said that the issue was also cropped up in yesterday's core committee meeting.

Directing All units of SAD and Youth Akali Dal to help flood effected people and not giving any directions to the activists of Student Organization of India(SOI) is another example for establishing SAD as a Sikh party. SAD have been supporting SOI since last so many years and using them in elections. The president of SOI was also a Patit Sikh. The majority of members of SOI were Hindus and now SAD did not wanted them in mainstream, the observers said.