Speaking at Chandumajra village, during the bhog ceremony of the mother of Akali Dal MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, Tohra called upon Akali Dal workers to join him in his boycott. He said that he would meet Bhai Ranjit Singh tomorrow and if he recommended, he would resign as SGPC president to launch a movement to against Badal's ``unprincipled'' government. Sukhdev Singh Bhour, senior vice president of the SGPC, said that he too would submit his resignation to Bhai Ranjit Singh.

Tohra challenged the appointment of Giani Puran Singh as Jathedar of the Akal Takht but said that he would not move court against it--the court of the Sikhs would decide the matter. Theappointment of Giani Puran Singh after Bhai Mohan Singh refused the post was a moral defeat for the Akali government, Tohra said. He alleged that all this was being done to save Ajit editor Barjinder Singh who, he said, was ``against Sikh philosophy.'' He said he could not comment on the proposal of a ``new Akali Dal.''

Meanwhile, Surjan Singh Thekedar, senior vice-president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, also announced his resignation from the party post. And Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann said that his party would observe a protest day And a massive rally at Fatehgarh Sahib tomorrow in celebration of the birth anniversary of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.Former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Madan Lal Khurana, who also attended the bhog ceremony, refused to comment saying it was an internal dispute of the Akali Dal and he and his party were not concerned. Uttar Pradesh Governor Suraj Bhan also attended the bhog.Meanwhile, Bhai Ranjit Singh could not hold ameeting of the five Takht priests with only two showing up. The meeting was expected to discuss action against the Badal loyalists and Ranjit Singh alleged that two priests had been ``kidnapped.''

Political observers say that Badal is in a comfortable position in the Akali Dal Legislature Party, in the general house of the SGPC and the party and hence the ruthless offensive to knock off his detractors. But the crucial fight is expected to be over ideology--in fact, Ranjit Singh had urged the moderate Badal to follow the radical Sikh agenda.In theDal, two centres of power have been institutionalised over the years: the SGPC and the Chief Minister. ``This is the main reason for the infighting whenever the party is in power,'' says a senior party leader.