On Saturday, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal resigned from his post, clearing the path for the election of a new leader.
Dr. Daljit S Cheema, the former Education Minister of Punjab and senior party leader, confirmed the resignation via a tweet, stating that Badal’s decision wa aimed at ensuring a smooth transition of leadership within the party.
Taking to X, Dr. Cheema posted, “The SAD President S Sukhbir Singh Badal submitted his resignation to the Working Committee of the party today to pave the way for the election of new President. He thanked all the party leaders & workers for expressing confidence in his leadership and extending wholehearted support & cooperation throughout the tenure.”
The SAD President S Sukhbir Singh Badal submitted his resignation to the working Committee of the party today to pave the way for the election of new President. He thanked all the party leaders & workers for expressing confidence in his leadership and extending wholehearted…
— Dr Daljit S Cheema (@drcheemasad) November 16, 2024
This move follows a period of internal unrest within the party, with some leaders calling for a change in leadership after the party’s poor performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections.
However, in July, the Shiromani Akali Dal dissolved its core committee, confirming the decision was Dr. Cheema.
Dr. Cheema asserted, “The Working Committee of the party has authorized the SAD President S Sukhbir Singh Badal to reorganize the party organization. In this regard the party President discussed in detail with his senior colleagues in a meeting held at Chandigarh today. It was decided to dissolve the Core Committee of the party. It will reorganized shortly. They also discussed four bye-elections.”
“Those present in the meeting were S Harjinder S Dhami, S Balwinder S Bhundar, S Mahesh Inder S Grewal, Dr. Daljit S Cheema, S Paramjit S Sarna, S Iqbal S Jhoonda & Harcharan S Bains,” he added.
SAD Leaders Rebel Against Sukhbir Badal After Election Defeat
Recently, a faction within the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), including prominent figures like Parminder Singh Dhindsa and Bibi Jagir Kaur, openly rebelled against party president Sukhbir Singh Badal. This revolt came after the party faced a crushing defeat in the latest Lok Sabha elections. The dissenters convened in Jalandhar, calling for Badal’s resignation.
Despite this internal upheaval, a significant group within the party continues to support Badal’s leadership.
Bibi Jagir Kaur, the former president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), expressed frustration. She claimed that Badal had ignored their concerns whenever they attempted to engage with him.
Nonetheless, after some time, the SAD Working Committee reaffirmed their trust in Sukhbir Singh Badal’s leadership, quelling the internal dissent.
“Shiromani Akali Dal Working Committee reposes complete faith in the leadership of party president S Sukhbir Singh Badal and urges detractors not to play into the hands of Panth’s enemies. The committee asks the president to lead the efforts to expose conspiracies against the party, Panth and Punjab,” Shiromani Akali Dal posted on X.
In response, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Shiromani Akali Dal MP and wife of party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, commented, “The entire Shiromani Akali Dal is united and is standing with Sukhbir Badal. Some of the stooges of the BJP are trying to break SAD. They want to do the same as they did in Maharashtra.”
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