Jalandhar: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is likely to accept the resignation of its president Sukhbir Singh Badal in its working committee meeting in the coming days, going by the Akal Takht’s directive of Dec 2, 2024.
However, SAD is unlikely to implement the other directive on carrying out the party’s recruitment process through a seven-member committee — which is headed by SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami and includes a couple of rebel leaders — citing serious legal ramifications.
Well-placed sources in SAD revealed that Sukhbir has already conveyed to the party leadership that his resignation should be accepted, and there is a consensus among senior party leaders on this, even though a section still has reservations. Sukhbir resigned on Nov 16 when he was already declared a tankhaiya (guilty of Panthic-political misconduct). However, two days later, ahead of the working committee meeting, Youth Akali Dal leaders launched a campaign against accepting his resignation.
By serving the religious punishment and thereafter performing Ardas at Akal Takht, Sukhbir is already free of the ‘tankhaiya’ tag. However, compliance with Akal Takht’s Dec 2 directive that his resignation should be accepted is still pending.
The SAD leadership continues to have strong reservations about carrying out fresh enrolment through a seven-member committee. It argues that complying with this directive could lead to legal trouble, jeopardising the party’s registration with Election Commission. This was elucidated in a legal opinion on complying with the Takht’s directives that the party had sought from former Punjab advocate general and senior counsel Ashok Aggarwal.
A five-member delegation led by SAD working president Balwinder Singh Bhunder handed the legal opinion to Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh when it called on him on Dec 22.
The Sikh high priests originally gave a deadline of three days for complying with Takht’s directives, but the SAD leadership got it extended for 20 days, which ended on Dec 22.
By complying with one directive and accepting Sukhbir’s resignation, SAD leaders are expecting to gain some breathing space. The going for the Sukhbir camp is tough as in the seven-member committee, it is clear about the loyalty of only three members.
It is learnt that apart from the legal issues his party is citing, there are apprehensions regarding the enrolment process getting out of Sukhbir’s trusted lieutenants’ hands, that could lead to hurdles in the future. Reading out the directive on Dec 2, the Akal Takht Jathedar had said that enrolment should be genuine and identity proof like Aadhar cards should be used to eliminate the possibility of bogus enrolment.
