Chandigarh, December 26
Known for authorising its president to take all important decisions, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has moved a step closer to set a record of sorts in nominating leaders and party workers to various committees, including all important working committee.
Interestingly, president of the SAD Sukhbir Singh Badal has made all these nominations, as a sequel to the decision of its last general house meeting.
In his endeavour to give representation to every section of the party, including both urban and rural wings, besides religious minorities in the state, Sukhbir named 108 to the working committee besides 61 permanent invitees, 34 political advisers and 250 members of the general council of the party.
Sukhbir will also name 61 more members of the general council in the coming days.
Among those nominated to the working committee are most of sitting Akali Dal MLAs. Former Mayor of Chandigarh Harjinder Kaur has also found a place in the working committee.
Sources reveal that Sukhbir is keen that a unified and dedicated team of office-bearers, working committee and general council members is ready to spearhead the party campaign in the coming general elections. It is why he has nominated leaders of religious minorities as well as the Hindu community in his list.
He has also announced the appointment of former SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra loyalist Karnail Singh Panjoli as junior vice-president and Harjit Singh Adalatiwala as organising secretary of the party, taking the number of office-bearers to 45.
He will also be nominating and releasing lists of office-bearers of various district-level bodies. He will follow it up by nominating office-bearers of various wings of the party, including the Istri Akali Dal.
The SAD has the history of leaving all-important decisions, including the party nominees for various positions in the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) or candidates for the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections, to its president after long closed-door meetings.
The secretary and spokesman of the party, Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, says all sections have been given due representation on all committees. He says out of 108 members of the working committee announced today, 24 are from SCs, 11 from BCs, eight women and nine members of the Hindu community. Two of the nominees are from the Muslim community.
