CHANDIGARH, Nov 21 — The head of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, will name the President, other office-bearers and members of the executive of the SGPC on November 30, the day the elections to this body are scheduled to be held in Amritsar. He will name them shortly before the poll. He refused to disclose whether he would retain Bibi Jagir Kaur as President.

Mr Badal said that he had been empowered to name the office-bearers of the SGPC, including its President, by the Political Affairs Committee of the SAD, a meeting of which was held at his residence here this evening. A resolution had also been passed by the PAC in this connection. Mr Badal said that he had called a meeting of the members of the SGPC belonging to his party on November 29 at Bhai Gurdas Hall, Amritsar.

In fact, there was nothing new in his naming the office-bearers. He had been doing so earlier also when he used to nominate Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra for the post of President of the SGPC, Mr Badal asserted.

Although Mr Badal did not reveal details of the meeting, informed sources said that PAC members wanted to replace Bibi Jagir Kaur on November 30 when she completed her full term of one year.

The names of the veteran Akali leader, Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, Mr Sucha Singh Langah and Mr Mal Singh Ghuman have figured in political circles for the important post of SGPC President. As Mr Badal is a very experienced political player, he has preferred to keep his strategy under wraps till the election day.

Though mediapersons asked Mr Badal pointed questions with regard to Bibi Jagir Kaur, he refused to comment. His stock reply to every question was that the PAC had authorised him to take a decision with regard to the office-bearers of the SGPC and he would not say anything more on this issue.

He said that at today’s meeting no member asked Bibi Jagir Kaur to submit her resignation. She was present at the meeting. She was also not asked by any member to explain her position, Mr Badal added.

Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa was not present at the meeting. Two other members, Dr Upinderjit Kaur and Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, were also not present. Mr Badal said Dr Upinderjit Kaur was away on a foreign trip and Mr Barnala had become a Governor. Mr Dhindsa, according to Mr Badal, was busy with the Parliament session today.

Mr Dhindsa and Capt Kanwaljit Singh, two senior leaders of the party, had made their views known with regard to Bibi Jagir Kaur. They had asked Bibi Jagir Kaur to resign.