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SGPC presidential polls: It’s Badals vs Bibi on November 9
SAD chief authorised to choose other office-bearers and executive committee members; Dhindsa also in Amritsar to woo SGPC members in favour of Bibi Jagir Kaur
In a high-stake battle for Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, his party’s candidate and incumbent chief Harjinder Singh Dhami will face Bibi Jagir Kaur in the contest for the top post of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Wednesday.
The SGPC general house will assemble at Teja Singh Samundri Hall, headquarters of the apex gurdwara body, to elect its president, other office-bearers (general secretary, senior vice-president and junior vice-president) and an 11-member executive committee. Of total 157 members, 150 are sure to attend the annual poll session that is being seen as a ‘Badals vs Bibi’ battle, even as Dhami is the candidate of the Sukhbir-led party.
All eyes are on these elections as Jagir Kaur, a three-time former SGPC president, threw hat in the ring, challenging the choice and leadership of the SAD president. For dissension, she was expelled from the party on Monday.
As she poses a big challenge to Sukhbir, the SAD leadership has been on its toes to win over the trust of SGPC members. Ever since Bibi started gearing up for these elections, the SAD president has been approaching the SGPC members and convening meetings with them across the state.
In these elections, Bibi is being supported mostly by the members of opposition. She is also likely to dent the SAD camp in the SGPC house.
Some prominent members associated with the SAD, including former MLA Sant Balvir Singh Ghunas, have announced their support to her.
Besides, members under the influence of former Rajya Sabha member Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, patron of the SAD (Sanyukt), would support Bibi. Some members, especially who are from Haryana and rally behind the BJP, could also choose Bibi.
Though the majority is lying with the SAD, the contest may be close as the votes are cast with secret ballot papers.
The 191-member (170 members are elected by Sikh voters, 15 are co-opted and six are sitting heads of Sikh temporal seats and head granthi of the Golden Temple) general house assembles every year. As per SGPC additional secretary (media) Kulwinder Singh Ramdas, 26 members have died, while two have resigned.
Remaining members are nearly 157 in number. Though sitting heads of Sikh temporal seats and head granthi of the Golden Temple are part of the general house, they don’t have right to vote.
Sukhbir’s last-minute effort
Even as Sukhbir has held several get-togethers with the SGPC members associated with his party in all regions of Punjab, he, on Tuesday, conducted a joint meeting with several of them in attendance at Teja Singh Samundri hall as a last-minute effort.
While Dhami has already been declared as the candidate for the top post, rights of choosing other office-bearers and executive committee members were also given to the SAD chief. “We will win these elections with bigger margin this time,” he said while interacting with the media.
Either choose Panth or Badals: Dhindsa to voters
Dhindsa too remained in the holy city to meet various SGPC members and persuade them to vote for Bibi. “This is a historic opportunity for the SGPC members to liberate the gurdwara body from the clutches of Badals whose role in Bargari sacrilege and other anti-Sikh episodes is under question. This opportunity will never come again. We are asking the SGPC members to either choose Panth and Badals. We are appealing to listen to the voice of their conscience while casting their votes,” Dhindsa said.
