Sukhbir’s resignation: SAD working committee to meet today
An important meeting of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) working committee will be held at Chandigarh on Monday to take the decision whether to accept or reject the resignation submitted by the SAD president.
Sukhbir Singh Badal resigned from the post of president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal)
on Saturday after a recent meeting with Akal Takht Jathedar in Amritsar. Though loyalists of Sukhbir look disappointed, they maintained
that the party would bounce back with a positive frame of mind.
Maheshinder Singh Grewal, party spokesperson, said the matter could be taken in two ways — if it was rejected, people would get a chance to term the resignation as an “eyewash”. And if it was accepted, who will lead the party?
“The working committee of the Shiromani Akali Dalwith over 55 members will meet on Monday to take a decision on the development. Till then, it would be unfair to comment on the matter,” he said.
Once the working committee, which is a competent authority, takes the decision, it will later brought to the General House, which has over
500 members. At present, party affairs are being taken care of by officiating president Balwinder Singh Bhunder.
Harish Rai Dhanda, senior Shiromani Akali Dalleader, said though party president Sukhbir Singh Badal had resigned, it would hardly make any difference.
“Those persons who left the party after creating a mess have gone. Most of them did their best to align with the Bharatiya Janata Party, what was the result? The rebel leaders did not have any stand and now, those who are still part of the party are much united, whether Sukhbir Badal is president or not. We continue to support the party even after his resignation. The process of elections will be started soon and till then, the officiating president will look after party affairs,” he said.
At the same time, Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali preferred not to make any comment on the matter. On being asked about the party president’s resignation, Ayali said he would prefer to remain quiet on the issue.
