Amid oust-Sukhbir Badal call, key Akali Dal panel rallies behind him

Jupinderjit Singh

Chandigarh, June 26

Even as rebel Akali leaders upped the ante against the party leadership and decided to hand over the reins of the party to a non-controversial and Panthic face, the SAD Working Committee on Wednesday rallied behind incumbent chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and warned the rebels against a conspiracy to divide the party.

Nearly 60 of 87 members of the committee met here and showed full faith in Sukhbir’s leadership. On Tuesday, about 60 senior leaders, who revolted against the SAD chief, held a meeting near Jalandhar.

Sukhbir’s wife and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal too came out in his support and claimed the party was intact. She alleged the rebels were mere “stooges” of the BJP, which was trying to divide the Akali Dal. Her brother Bikram Singh Majithia, a former minister, continued to maintain silence over the developments in the party. He has not come in support of Sukhbir so far. Similarly, Dakha MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali, who was among the first to speak against Sukhbir’s leadership after the 2022 Assembly poll debacle, has also remained silent over the matter. Sources close to him said he was against any division in the party and that he would support a democratically chosen leader who was known for his selfless work for the party and the Sikh Panth.

In the working committee’s meeting, a resolution was passed to give Sukhbir full rights to re-organise the party structure. The committee also asked the detractors to raise their issues on the party platform or face consequences for their attempts to split the party. The main leaders in the working committee are HS Dhami, Gobind Singh Longowal, Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Daljeet Singh Cheema, Maheshinder Grewal and Paramjit Singh Sarna. They alleged a dangerous conspiracy was being hatched for communal polarisation in Punjab for petty political gains.

The rebel group, on the other hand, has sought the resignation of Sukhbir, besides resolving to seek an apology from Akal Takht for various “mistakes” committed by the SAD.

Sources in the rebel group reveal they had approached Sewa Singh of Hoshiarpur for taking over as the party chief, but he declined. The group is now trying to convince Damdama Sahib Jathedar Harpreet Singh to lead the party. The group is also in talks with Gurpartap Singh Wadala. The sources say the rebels may call for a meeting of party delegates, about 450 in number, to choose the new president.