The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) working committee on Friday finally bowed before the Akal Takht and accepted the resignation of Sukhbir Singh Badal as the party chief, nearly two months after he submitted the papers and four days after the Akal Takht Jathedar asked it to implement the religious body's December 2 edict as soon as possible. The working committee also announced to start a new membership drive on January 20 and hold the election for the post of new president on March 1, party general secretary Daljeet Singh Cheema said. He added that Balwinder Singh Bhundar will continue as the party’s working president until a new president is elected. Sukhbir, who was first elected president of the party in January 2008, served in the role for 16 years, being unanimously re-elected every five years. Before him, his father, Parkash Singh Badal, served as SAD president from 1996 to 2008. This marks the first time in 29 years that the Badal family is no longer at the helm of India’s oldest regional party. The party, which was in alliance with the BJP from November 1996 to September 2020, is now entering a new phase of leadership. Sukhbir's resignation was accepted in meeting of the working committee that he too attended. The acceptance of his resignation comes just days ahead of the Maghi conference, scheduled for January 14 in Muktsar. Sukhbir had been actively involved in preparations for the event, conducting meetings in the Muktsar area over the past weeks. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh had on January 6 questioned the Akali Dal on delay in implementing the order pertaining to accepting the resignation of Badal as party chief and on reorganisation of the party. While pronouncing religious punishment for Badal and other leaders on December 2 last year for the "mistakes" committed by SAD and its government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017, the Akal Takht had also directed SAD's working committee to accept the resignation of Badal as party chief and other leaders within three days. Though Badal underwent religious punishment, the working committee did not accept his resignation, which he had tendered in November 16 last year. The committee had sought 20 days to convene a meeting, a deadline that expired on December 22 without an extension. Speaking to reporters after his resignation was accepted, Sukhbir thanked party workers and leaders for their support. "Five years back, the SAD delegate session gave me the big responsibility of serving the Akali Dal. In the last five years, I did whatever I could do for the party. When I was to go to the Akal Takht Sahib, I had made up my mind to go as a humble Sikh. But it (my resignation) was not accepted due to some reasons. The working committee should start a new membership drive and thereafter, a new president can be elected," he said. Cheema said Badal attended the working committee meeting as his resignation was pending. "At his request, the working committee accepted his resignation," said Cheema, announcing to commence the party's new membership drive from January 20 which will continue till February 20. SAD working president Bhundar has been authorised to take major decisions for the party during the membership drive and elections, Cheema said. He said a target of making 25 lakh members of the party during the drive has been set. An election for the post of party president will be held on March 1, he further said. The newly formed 13-member committee overseeing the membership drive includes Manpreet Singh Ayali, SAD MLA and in-charge of membership efforts in Rajasthan. Ayali, who has been pushing for party reforms since April 2022, has been tasked with responsibilities outside Punjab, as has SAD rebel Santa Singh Umaidpuri, who will handle Himachal Pradesh. However, the party has yet to incorporate the seven-member committee announced by the Akal Takht, citing potential constitutional and legal challenges if a religious body’s directive is applied to a political party. Sukhbir’s political journey began in 1998 when he was elected MP from Faridkot. Though he lost the 1999 Lok Sabha elections to Congress’s Jagmeet Singh Brar, he returned to Parliament as a Rajya Sabha member in 2001 and reclaimed the Faridkot Lok Sabha seat in 2004. He became SAD president in January 2008 and later served as Punjab’s deputy chief minister after winning the Jalalabad bypoll in August 2009. SAD’s electoral fortunes began declining after the 2015 Bargari sacrilege incident. The party won only 15 Vidhan Sabha seats out of the 117 in 2017 and a mere three in 2022. Sukhbir himself lost from Jalalabad by over 30,000 votes, while his father lost in Lambi by over 11,000 votes. Currently, only one SAD MLA, Ganieve Majithia, remains loyal to the party, with Mukerian MLA Sukhvinder Kumar Sukhi switching to AAP and Ayali distancing himself from party activities. Following the 2022 defeat, a fact-finding committee led by Iqbal Singh Jhundan had recommended a change in leadership, but its report was never acted upon. The dissent led to the formation of the Akali Dal Sudhar Lehar in July 2024 under senior leader Gurpartap Singh Wadala. However, the group dissolved on December 9 following Akal Takht Sahib’s directives. Rebels are now considering their next steps, as reintegration into the SAD appears unlikely. Meanwhile, Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh’s father has announced plans to launch a new political party at the Maghi Mela on January 14. Whether Sukhbir’s resignation will impact these developments remains to be seen.
