Akali Dal rebel group rejects expulsion of eight leaders
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) rebel group on Wednesday rejected the expulsion of eight leaders who have launched a tirade against party president Sukhbir Singh Badal.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) rebel group on Wednesday rejected the expulsion of eight leaders who have launched a tirade against party president Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Addressing a press conference, SAD patron Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, who is the senior most leader among the rebels, termed the move ‘illegal and not as per party’s constitution’.
Dhindsa said that the working committee has the right to expel leaders. “We will call the meeting of the party delegates shortly and announce the new structure of the party, which will include the election of party president and other bodies of the party,” Dhindsa said. He added that during the working committee meeting, the party’s general council will also be called.
However, reacting to Dhindsa’s comment, SAD said that the party patron doesn’t have the authority to stay the proceedings of the disciplinary committee which had expelled eight leaders for indulging in ‘anti-party’ activities.
“Dhindsa is a senior leader and should know that as a patron he cannot overrule any party decisions,” SAD’s secretary general Balwinder Singh Bhundar said, calling Dhindsa’s comments as unfortunate.
Bhundar said that instead of advising the party rank and file not to indulge in anti-party activities, senior Dhindsa has chosen to lead the team of expelled leaders and was trying to override decisions taken as per the party’s constitution.
On Tuesday, a disciplinary committee led by Bhundar expelled leaders including former SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur, former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, former ministers Sikandar Singh Maluka, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Surjeet Singh Rakhra, former MLAs Gurpartap Singh Wadala, and Surinder Singh Thekedar and SAD president’s political advisor Charanjit Singh Brar.
Sukhbir has no right to be party president, Dhindsa
Dhindsa said Sukhbir has no right to be party president after the allegations surfaced that he met dera Sirsa head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh despite the edict of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs. Dhindsa further said that the SAD president has lost the confidence of party workers, Punjabis and Sikhs.
NK Sharma slams Chandumajra
Meanwhile, SAD treasurer and former MLA NK Sharma slammed Prem Singh Chandumajra for destroying the party in many districts and said ‘his expulsion will prove helpful for the party’.
Sharma urged the party president not to induct such leaders into the party again and instead new, young and hardworking workers should be given a chance.