Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), senior party leader Balwant Singh Ramoowalia has quit the party and joined the Samajwadi Party as a Cabinet Minister in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. Balwant Singh Ramoowalia was sworn in as a cabinet minister in Lucknow following revamp of Akhilesh Yadav Ministry.

“My decision to join the Akhilesh government is based on my long association with the Samajwadi Party since it had backed me when I was a Rajya Sabha member in 1996.  I have great respect for Mulayam Singh ji. I got a call from SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav to join the Akhilesh government two days ago. I could not decline his offer as I am indebted to him,” he said.

He said that he has great respect for SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and could not say no and made the offer to him.

Shiromani Akali Dal’s (SAD) General Secretary and MP Prem Singh Chandumajra said that Balwant Singh Ramoowalia’s decision to leave the party will not affect the Akali Dal. Balwant Singh Ramoowalia said that even UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had advised him to make the change. Chandumajra told PTI that “Ramoowalia did not have long innings in our party. Our party is like a sea. The Akali Dal is not dependent on any one individual,”

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav renovates his council of ministers by inducting 11 new ministers and elevating 9 ministers of state. By the sudden exit of Ramoowalia from Shiromani Akali Dal, the SAD leadership retaliated by removing Ramoowalia’s daughter, Amanjot Kaur, from the post of chairperson of the SAS Nagar Planning Board.

Balwant Singh started his political career in 1963with student politics as a general secretary. After that he joined Akali Dal and became Member of Parliament twice from Faridkot and Sangrur.  He also contested for Punjab assembly in 2012 elections from Mohalli as a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate.

All the 21 ministers, including those who have been promoted, has took the oath at Raj Bhawan today as on 31st October, 2015.

The change has been done as part of the ruling Samajwadi Party’s preparations for the next assembly elections due in 2017.