CHANDIGARH: A former Shiromani Akali Dal MLA from Dhuri and a former chairman of the Sangrur
district planning board, Gobind Singh Longowal was elected Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) the mini parliament of Sikhs.
He replaced Prof Kirpal Singh Badungar who completed his one year term this month.
Longowal the Shiromani Akali Dal candidate got 154 of 169 votes beating his rival Amrik Singh Shahpur of Dera Baba Nanak who was the Panthak Front candidate as voting took place in the general house of the SGPC. While Shahpur only got 15 vote. But later Shapur was nominated in the 11-member executive body after some members of the SGPC insisted.
While Gurbachan Singh Karmowala its general secretary and Raghujit Singh and Harpal Singh were elected its senior vice-president and junior vice-president respectively.
Out of the 178 members of SGPC 169 members were present in the meeting of the General House.
All the five high priests; Jathedar Akal Takhat and Jathedars of four Takhats were also present but they did not vote as per tradition.