SAD may give SGPC posts to placate ‘neglected’ members
ANNUAL ELECTIONS Sukhbir to meet members ahead of the Tuesday’s polls for various posts
AMRITSAR: Amid the ongoing crisis the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is facing due to revolt by some senior leaders against party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, the SGPC members who are feeling neglected may find a place in the list of office-bearers or executive committee during the annual elections slated for Tuesday.
As veteran SAD leaders from Majha region raised the banner of revolt against the party leadership, Sukhbir and senior leader Bikram Singh Majithia paid a visit to SGPC member Bhai Manjit Singh at his residence on October 28 to assuage him. Bhai Manjit Singh was showing signs of dissent and after meeting Sukhbir, he withdrew his revolting voice. Sources said SAD president assured to suitably accommodate him in near future.
Prior to Bhai Manjit Singh, SAD’s big guns — Khadoor Sahib MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, former MP Rattan Singh Ajnala and former minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan — revolted against the headship of Sukhbir. Trio has been expelled from the party.
Brahmpura’s close relative Alwinderpal Singh Pakhoke upped the ante against the former on his home turf Khadoor Sahib. He was duly backed by other leaders loyal to Sukhbir.
Pakhoke has remained acting president of the SGPC, but for many years, he doesn’t hold any key post. Pakhoke and Bhai Manjit Singh were seen with Sukhbir during SAD’s dharna at Amritsar on November 2 over Class 12 history books row. Observers say the two may be rewarded in the annual SGPC elections.
Meanwhile, SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said Sukhbir Singh Badal is meeting SGPC members at Teja Singh Samundri Hall, the headquarters of the apex gurdwara body that manages affairs of the historic gurdwaras in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pardesh and Chandigarh. He does this every year for taking suggestions from SGPC members regarding the elections.
ANTI-BADAL MEMBERS MEETING TODAY
Although the SAD has brute majority in the general house of the SGPC, anti-Badals members would like to improve their count in case voting is held using secret ballots.
To evolve a strategy for the elections, all these members will meet on Monday here, said Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, who usually leads the anti-Badals group. Bhaur has also been general secretary of the body during the tenure of Avtar Singh Makkar.
Last year, Amrik Singh Shahpur, a candidate of the opposition, could get only 15 votes out of 169. This year, Sekhwan, who is also a SGPC member and expelled recently from the SAD, and Balwinder Singh Veinpuin, who is loyal to Brahmpura family, may also support opposition if voting is held.
However, Sekhwan denied this possibility stating that the SGPC is not on their list of agenda and they will not be interfering in the matters of the gurdwara body.
When asked about his strategy for the elections, Brahmpura said they are not against the SAD, but against two persons (Sukhbir Singh Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia).