CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has called a working committee meeting on January 10 to take a call on accepting the resignation of party president Sukhbir Singh Badal and start the new membership drive of the party. A delegation of party leaders on Wednesday met Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh who had recently taken strong objection to the party's non-compliance with its verdict seeking Badal's resignation.
After the meeting, party vice president Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema said that the SAD working president Balwinder Singh Bhundar has convened a meeting of the party’s Working Committee on January 10 to take a decision on the resignation submitted by president Sukhbir Singh Badal as well as holding a membership drive to pave the way for restructuring of the party through organizational elections besides discussing all important issues related to the state.
Cheema said the meeting of the working committee would be held at the party head office.
The working president of the party Balwinder Singh Bhunder said, "I can only say that the meeting of working committee of the party has been called on January 10 and all the issues facing the party will be discussed in the meeting."
On Monday, the Akal Takht Jathedar Singh had said compliance with the five high priests’ verdict pronounced from the podium of the Akal Takht was yet to be fulfilled. "The Shiromani Akali Dal should not adopt a dilly-dallying approach in accepting the resignations of Sukhbir and other leaders pending till date," he had said.
On December 2, 2024, the Akal Takht had directed the party’s working committee to accept the resignation of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and other leaders who had resigned earlier.
It also mandated the reorganisation of the party through a membership drive, followed by the election of a new president. As per the orders of the Takht, the working committee was to convene within three days to accept the resignations, but the SAD sought a 20-day extension, which expired on December 22.
After missing this second deadline too, SAD leaders stated that the decision on the resignations would be taken up in the working committee meeting, scheduled to be called in the first week of January. Since then, no meeting of the working committee has been called by SAD leaders, who are preoccupied with preparations for the annual Maghi Mela conference in Muktsar on January 14.
Badal, who was declared guilty of religious misconduct by the Akal Takht on August 30, tendered his resignation on November 16.