Sukhbir Badal asked to revamp SAD’s public profile as poll review committee files report

The report was submitted by the poll review committee, which was set up to review causes of the SAD’s drubbing in the polls. The party won only three seats, sliding from its tally of 15 in 2017

The Shiromani Akali Dal on Wednesday authorised party president Sukhbir Singh Badal to take steps for course correction and implementation of the recommendations of the report on the party’s debacle in the February 10 assembly elections.

Sukhbir Badal asked to revamp SAD’s public profile as poll review committee files report

The report was submitted by the Jhunda Committee, which was set up to review causes of the party’s drubbing in the polls. The party won only three seats, sliding from its tally of 15 in 2017.

The decision for course correction was approved by the core committee, party’s top decision-making body, which was led by the party president, who earlier had authorised the review committee to bring all facts in the report.

Party’s secretary general Balwinder Singh Bhunder said that the review committee report highlights the strengths, weaknesses, achievements and the shortcomings of the party in the past as well as the challenges and opportunities before it in the days to come.

Bhundar said that party’s leadership has authorised president Sukhbir Badal to take steps he deems necessary for streamlining the functioning and refurbishing the public profile of the party, including holding consultations with a cross-section of Sikh intellectuals, religious and political ideologues, teachers, students, farmers, traders, employees, social activists as well as eminent Punjabis from all sections of society, including the NRIs.

“Now, he (Sukhbir) will take inputs from various units of the party including the working committee, district and circle heads, SGPC members and party cadre at the grassroots,” Bhundar said.

The review committee held at least two dozen meetings during the past two months, seeking feedback and demand arose for change in leadership at the top level.

Meanwhile, the SAD rejected the MSP committee set up by the Union government without taking the key stake holders, farmers and representatives from Punjab on the board.

The core committee also condemned the comments made by Sangrur MP Simranjit Singh Mann on freedom fighter Bhagat Singh as “insane”.

Earlier, the core committee also demanded immediate girdwari and compensation to the farmers for damage to crops because of rains.

The party also demanded an independent probe into the spurious seeds that led to losses to sunflower growers in Rajpura and Moong growers in Muktsar.