As Sukhbir resigns, all eyes on emergency meeting of SAD working committee today

Party spokesperson Daljeet Singh Cheema said, “We will hold discussions on his resignation, following which we will decide the next course of action.”

He added that the Cheema working committee will decide whether to accept the resignation or not. “I alone can’t say anything. The committee will take a collective decision,” Cheema said.

However, Charanjit Singh Brar, chief spokesperson for Akali Dal Sudhar Lehar (rebel group), said, “The way a campaign on social media is being run, it seems that they are unlikely to accept the Badal’s resignation. However, a change in leadership was by and large the demand of party workers from assembly constituencies of Punjab when SAD committee members led by Iqbal Singh Jhundan had visited them in 2022. So, any political manoeuvring around the resignation won’t be tolerated by the party workers.”

He added, “Senior Akali leaders had two main demands — one was to seek forgiveness after appearing before the Akal Takht and second a change in leadership (because of which leaders had formed Akali Dal Sudhar Lehar). Now, as both demands have been met, will the party make any attempt to unite everyone?”

When asked, whether they will call back the leaders who had left the party, Cheema said, “We never asked them to leave. They left on their own which had taken a toll on the party. So, it all depends on what happens in the emergency meeting tomorrow.”

Senior leader of Akali Dal Sudhar Lehar and former Union minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa expressed concern about the current Panthic politics.

Dhindsa said, “It is sad that a prominent organisation representing the Panth and Punjab could not even field four candidates for the November 20 bypolls. Even during the worst times, the Akali Dal stood tall, despite attempts by the Centre to suppress it politically and socially. However, today this over-a-century-old party is struggling to even field four candidates in elections.”

Dhindsa held Badal responsible for the current state of the SAD. “Since Sukhbir took over the leadership, the Akali Dal has been pushed to the margins and had faced consecutive defeats in the last four elections. In 2022 assembly elections, the SAD was reduced to just three seats, while in the last Lok Sabha elections, its deposits were forfeited in 10 constituencies,” he added.

Reiterating his advice in the past, Dhindsa said, “I had urged Badal to resign and step aside after the humiliating defeat in 2017 polls. I had also requested Akali patriarch Parkash Singh Badal to remove Sukhbir and take charge himself. However, my advice was ignored, and now, after the Akali Dal has been politically marginalised, Sukhbir has resigned. Considering the current Panthic and political condition, I call upon the jathedar of Akal Takht to intervene and guide the community towards finding a leader who can unite the party workers and prepare for future political battles effectively.”

Meanwhile, supporters of Sukhbir Singh Badal are extending widespread support to him on social media platforms with the slogan “we stand with Sukhbir”. Supporters are highlighting the development works done by him during his tenure, while a few messages also stated that the SAD working committee shouldn’t accept his resignation.