SGPC POLLS TODAY: FOR TOP POST, INCUMBENT LONGOWAL REMAINS A FRONT-RUNNER
ANNUAL POLLS TODAY Senior Akali leaders Tota Singh, Jagir Kaur and Kirpal Badungar also in race
AMRITSAR: Incumbent Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Gobind Singh Longowal is likely to retain his position in the apex gurdwara body’s annual polls slated to be held on Wednesday, even as senior Akali leaders Jagir Kaur, Tota Singh and Kirpal Singh Badungar are also in race for the top post.
For, he enjoys the blessings of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal who controls the body that manages the affairs of historic Sikh shrines in north India.
A former Akali MLA, Longowal was first elected as SGPC president in 2017 succeeding Badungar. He was reelected for the post last year as well.
A low-profile and humble face of the party, he poses no challenge to the authority of the Badal family at the helm of the Akali Dal. Also, the Akali veteran is known for his loyalty and compliance to the Badals, especially Sukhbir, and never went beyond his brief.
Moreover, he is the likely choice of the SAD chief at a time when the SAD faced backlash from the Sikh community over the issue of sacrilege incidents in 2015 and that his leadership was questioned by many party leaders, triggering a revolt in the Panthic outfit, leading to formation of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali) led by then Khadoor Sahib MP Ranjit Singh Brahampura.
He never associated to Tohra faction and any faction within the party, but he remained close to Badals.
Also, unlike Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, Longowal never made any controversial statement that could potentially embarrass the SAD leadership, particularly the Badals. Besides, no major controversy has surrounded him till date.
Even as he was targeted by anti-Badal Sikh organisations dubbing him as a “yes man” of the family, he is known for avoiding confrontation or verbal spats with his adversaries.
Ever since he took over the reins of the gurdwara body, he focused on ‘dharam parchar’ (preaching of religion). “He is the first SGPC president to have visited as many as 15 countries for ‘dharam parchar’. During these visits, he attended the religious functions organised by the SGPC,” said Talwinder Singh Buttar, a Sikh writer, while speaking to HT.
Though it drew criticism over spending crore of rupees on the ‘pandal’ set up by it at Sultanpur Lodhi to celebrate the 550th Parkash Purb (birth anniversary) of Guru Nanak, the SGPC under Longowal’s stewardship successfully carried out international ‘nagar kirtan’ (religious procession) from Nankana Sahib, Guru Nanak’s birthplace, which passed through 17 states before culminating at Sultanpur Lodhi.
After Longowal, Tota Singh is the next contender for the president’s post in view of his seniority and knowledge of Panthic politics that both SAD and SGPC desperately need. After acquittal in the case of her daughter’s murder, Jagir Kaur has also staked claim for the job, it is learnt. Being a Sikh scholar and former head of the gurdwara body, Badungar claim for the top post also carries weight.
HOW ELECTIONS ARE HELD?
The 191-member (170 elected by Sikh voters, 15 nominated and six are sitting heads of Sikh temporal seats and head granthi of Golden Temple) general house assembles every year at Teja Singh Samundri Hall to elect SGPC president, other officebearers such as general secretary, senior vice-president and junior vice-president) and 11-member executive committee.
Under the rules, either the SGPC members elect the officebearers or the executive committee unanimously or by voting via secret ballot papers. But for the last many years, the SAD president has been holding a meeting with the gurdwara body on the eve of the annual elections and is authorised to pick the names announced on the voting day with the majority of SGPC members associated to SAD endorsing the same. Thus, the elections just become a formality.
The SGPC members authorise the SAD president to choose president, office-bearers, and the party terms it a ‘democratic’ exercise.
Like previous many years, the SGPC members associated with SAD on Tuesday authorised Sukhbir Badal to choose the president, other office-bearers and the executive committee.
Sukhbir presided over a meeting on Tuesday at Teja Singh Samundari Hall, which was also addressed by Longowal, Tota Singh, Jagir Kaur, Daljit Singh Cheema and Kirpal Singh Badungar.
Cheema said the practice is purely democratic as the SAD president takes suggestions from SGPC members and they authorise him to take the final call.