CHANDIGARH: All’s not well in the Shiromani Akali Dal. A section of its cadre wants change in the leadership, clearly indicating that Sukhbir Singh Badal should step down as the party chief. The senior SAD leaders met on Monday in Amritsar and demanded that Sukhbir implement all the recommendations of a committee report formed in the wake of the party’s disastrous performance in the February polls.
The committee led by Iqbal Singh Jhunda suggested change of leadership at the top level, ‘one family one MLA’ formula, two-year term for the president, and “seeking forgiveness for the mistakes committed during the party’s rule in the state from 2007 to 2017.”
Sources said leaders met for an hour at the house of Ravikaran Singh Kahlon, son of former Speaker late Nirmal Singh Kahlon, in Amritsar and decided to approach Sukhbir Badal.
The meeting came days after Badal dissolved all party wings for a recast. In the assembly elections, the party could win only three seats.
A senior party leader who attended the Amritsar meeting said many of his colleagues believed that Sukhbir should step down to strengthen the party. “Most of us were of the view that the Jhunda committee report should be implemented,’’ he said.
SAD’s legislature party leader Manpreet Singh Ayali said a delegation comprising senior leaders, Sikh intellectuals and well-wishers of the community would meet Sukhbir shortly.
Meanwhile, Sukhbir constituted a five-member disciplinary committee led by former minister Sikandar Singh Maluka apparently in reaction to the Amritsar meeting. The party chief appealed to his leaders to raise their views only on party forums.
These senior leaders, including former MPs Prem Singh Chandumajra and Jagmeet Singh Brar, have objected to Sukhbir forming a disciplinary committee, terming it an attempt to muzzle their voice.
Meanwhile, Jathedar of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, Harpreet Singh has said that if SAD wants to protect its existence, it must shun lust for power and work towards spreading Sikh principles.
Pressure on Badal to step down
SAD leaders met in Amritsar and demanded that Sukhbir implement the recommendations of a committee report formed in the wake of the party’s disastrous performance in the February polls.
The committee suggested change of leadership at the top level, among other steps.