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SGPC polls: With Bibi Jagir Kaur in fray for top post, woes mount for Badals
An SGPC member supporting Bibi Jagir Kaur is expecting 50 plus votes despite SAD leaders leaving no stone unturned to placate all members. Though number is not enough to win polls, it will be a jolt to Sukhbir Badal’s leadership
Even as the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) took action against three-time president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Bibi Jagir Kaur for announcing to contest the upcoming annual presidential poll of the gurdwara body in defiance of the party decision, challenges seem to be bigger for party president Sukhbir Singh Badal this year.
After jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra, who remained the SGPC president for 25 years and died in 2004, this is for the first time that the Badals have faced challenge from within the party in the SGPC general house though Kaur’s stature is not as big as that of Tohra.
The 191-member general house assembles every year at the Teja Singh Samundri Hall to elect president, other office-bearers and 11-member executive committee.
With Bibi Jagir Kaur in the fray, the contest will be interesting and number of the votes cast against SAD candidate is most likely to increase. As per a member from the opposition, this year they are rallying behind Kaur. The opposition members also include former general secretary Sukhdev Singh Bhaur. A majority of the members from Haryana are also expected to support Kaur. The total members from Haryana are 10 and eight of them may support Kaur, as per the member.
As tall Akali leaders like Prem Singh Chandumajra and Manpreet Singh Ayali have shown dissent against Sukhbir’s leadership, the ruling party members under their influence may vote for Kaur. Dhindsa family is also approaching some of the members under their influence to persuade them to support Kaur. Around five members are with the BJP. Besides, Kaur has been ringing SGPC members for their support in the elections to be held on November 9 with secret ballot papers.
An SGPC member supporting Kaur is expecting 50 plus votes despite the SAD leaders leaving no stone unturned to placate all the members and even approaching the members from the opposition. Though the number is not enough to win the elections, it will be a jolt to Sukhbir’s leadership. It will be considered as further erosion of the party base. Moreover, the opposition will have bigger representation in the executive committee of the gurdwara body. Presently, the opposition has only one member in the 15-member executive.
Bhai Gurpreet Singh Randhawe Wale, who represents the opposition in the executive, said, “We have been struggling to counter the lifafa (envelope) culture of Badals by fielding our candidate during the elections since long. After long time, many members, including Kaur, have realised that this culture is wrong and hurts the democracy in the organisation. We are happy that many other members have joined us to combat this culture”.
By rules, either the SGPC members elect the office-bearers or executive unanimously or by voting with secret ballot papers. However, for last many years, it is seen that the SAD president took a meeting of the SGPC on the eve of the annual elections and is authorised to handpick the names which were sent in an envelope by the party president to the house during the meeting and disclosed on the spot. And the SGPC members, a majority of whom are associated with the SAD, endorsed these names by raising their hands. By announcing candidature, Kaur is also raising a banner against this culture.
