Gurdwara polls: AAP backs out of contest
NEWDELHI: With its MLAs reportedly not backing the Panthic Sewa Dal (PSD) that it had formed, the Aam Aadmi Party appears to have pulled out of the contest in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) elections scheduled for February 26.
MLA Avtar Singh from Kalkaji, who formed the PSD 18 months ago, on Tuesday said that he is not getting the expected support from the party.
The PSD was expected to contest on 40 seats of the total 46.
The AAP, however, had earlier said that being a ‘secular’ party it “wants to make it clear that it is not taking part in these elections, directly or indirectly”.
“The Aam Aadmi Party wants to make it clear that it is not taking part in these elections, directly or indirectly. Party also believes that other political parties should also be discouraged and should not be allowed to take part in these elections,” a statement from the party, issued last week, said.
With an annual budget of ₹100 crore, the DSGMC manages nine gurdwaras, six colleges and 18 schools among other institutions in Delhi.
It is also the representative body of over eight lakh Sikhs in Delhi, of which 3.75 lakh are eligible to vote on account of having unshorn hair and following the religious code of conduct.
The elections for DSGMC are scheduled to be held on February 26. The SAD (Badal) is currently ruling the DSGMC.
Despite the fact that assembly elections are over in Punjab, both Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal and his son and deputy CM, Sukhbir Badal, have stayed away from the polls. The SAD(Badal) campaign is being led by Manjeet Singh GK, who is the president of party’s Delhi unit.
Sources said a campaign by the Badals may have proven counterproductive because of a series of sacrilege in late 2015 and the support by Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda to the party for assembly polls.