Jalandhar, May 16 -- Hours after being expelled by Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit), former minister Surjit Singh Rakhra confirmed that he will join the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday. The decision to expel Rakhra was taken during an executive body meeting of SAD (Punar Surjit) held in Jalandhar on Thursday. "Rakhra was a member of the party's core committee and political affairs committee. He has been expelled for antiparty activities," Giani Harpreet Singh, president of SAD (Punar Surjit), said. Reacting to the development, Rakhra said the SAD (Punar Surjit) had every right to expel him as he had already informed the party leadership of his desire to join the AAP. "I will join the ruling party on Saturday and will remain politically active in the Samana assembly constituency," he said. Rakhra praised the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government for enacting the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, providing stringent punishments, including life imprisonment and fines up to Rs.25 lakh, for acts of sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib. According to people privy to the development, Mann is expected to arrive at Rakhra's residence in Patiala on Saturday to formally induct him in AAP. A two-time MLA from Samana, Rakhra's entry into the AAP could trigger political ripples in the constituency, currently represented by AAP MLA Chetan Singh Jouramajra. Rakhra is the younger brother of US-based businessman Darshan Singh Dhaliwal, who was considered one of the main funders of the Sukhbir Singh Badal-led Akali Dal. He served as revenue and rehabilitation minister in the SAD-BJP government led by former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal from 2007 to 2017. After parting ways with the Sukhbir-led Shiromani Akali Dal following differences with the former deputy chief minister, Rakhra was among the first to regroup disgruntled leaders before forming the SAD (Punar Surjit) as its founder member last year....