SAD scores third win on trot in Delhi gurdwara body polls
CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal on Wednesday won the elections to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) for the third time in a row, clinching 27 out of the total 46 seats.
The outgoing president and SAD’s warhorse Manjinder Singh Sirsa, however, lost to former president Harvinder Singh Sarna by 469 votes in a fierce contest on the Punjabi Bagh seat. But Sirsa is set to become the gurdwara body’s president again as SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said he will be nominated from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) quota.
The SAD top brass sees the result as a practice match for the upcoming assembly polls in Punjab. Addressing the media in Delhi, Sukhbir said: “It is the beginning of a “storm which will sweep the Congress and the AAP away in the Punjab assembly polls next year.”
Former DSGMC chief Manjit Singh GK-led Jago party won in three wards, while Akali Dali (Delhi) headed by Paramjit Singh Sarna got 14 seats, the directorate of gurdwara elections said. Sarna said: “We hoped to do much better, but we accept that the voters have the final say. “
The SAD got 40.27% of the total votes polled, while SAD (Delhi) and Jago party polled 27.79% and 15.72% votes, respectively, according to data issued by the directorate.
The DSGMC which controls historic shrines in the city, including Rakabganj and Bangla Sahib gurdwaras, as well as various academic institutions and hospitals, goes to polls every four years. It has an annual budget of rs 110 crore.
Under the 1971 DSGMC Act, a 51-member House runs the gurdwara body. Over and above 46 elected members, there is a provision to nominate one member from the SGPC quota, while two members come via co-option and two more come from the Singh Sabhas (local gurdwaras) in Delhi.
A total of 312 candidates including 132 independents fought the elections conducted on Sunday. .