However, the impressive turnout at the ruling Akali Dal rally came as a big boost to Badal who talked of the damage ``the earlier bloodshed'' had done to Punjab and warned that a repeat of that phase would lead to ruin. Earlier, Finance Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh also talked of commitment to the principles to serve the people and also to Punjabiat and peace.

A statement was issued by Capt Kanwajit Singh; Agriculture Minister Gurdev Singh Badal; Akali Dal Secretary General Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa; General Secretary Balwinder Singh Bhunder and politicalaffairs committee member and Minister of State for Public Relations Sewa Singh Sekhwan. The statement, demanding Tohra's expulsion, charged him with injecting ``violence'' into the state.

The stage is set for a showdown. After Tohra's speech yesterday, today it was the turn of Bhai Ranjit Singh, the former Akal Takht Jathedar who was suspended, to assert himself. Today, he led the traditional Hola Mohalla procession at the end of the three-day celebrations at Anandpur Sahib. Interestingly, Takht Keshgarh Sahib Jathedar Manjit Singh and Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Kewal Singh -- both of whom have been involved in a controversy with Bhai Ranjit Singh -- followed him.

Giani Puran Singh, the acting Jathedar, stayed away as doctors had reportedly advised him to rest after the mild heart attack on the day he was installed. In his absence, a section felt that a Jathedar of any one of the five Takhts could lead the march. However, the situation at Anandpur Sahib grew tense yesterday when the Tohra campannounced that since it recognised Bhai Ranjit Singh as the Akal Takht Jathedar, he would lead the Hola Mohalla procession.

Consultations continued yesterday and today, and even half an hour before the march began, Tohra is reported to have met Manjit Singh who said that he wasn't against Bhai Ranjit Singh participating. So throughout the procession, slogans in support of the Akal Takht and Bhai Ranjit Singh rent the air. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was however not present on the occasion.

The Tohra camp is also showing no signs of giving up. A resolution, moved by Prem Singh Chandumajra, MP, was passed from the SGPC stage recognising Bhai Ranjit Singh as Jathedar of Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs.

Tohra, in his speech, also called upon Badal to accept Bhai Ranjit Singh as the Jathedar, saying he had no other demand. He said he had decided against sharing the stage with Badal who had blackened the name of the Akali Dal.

He made it clear he was not setting up a newAkali Dal saying those who had made ``sacrifices'' were already with him, an indication of the re-alignment within the party. These leaders include Akali Dal (Democratic) chief Kuldip Singh Wadala, Akali Dal (Panthic) president Jasvir Singh Rode and Bhai Manjit Singh.