Badal ouster not easy for Tohra faction

Presently, the general house has 421 delegates. The elections to elect delegates from USA, Canada, UK, Iran Afghanistan, Iran, Africa, Malaysia, Thailand,Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat could not be held. The Akali Dal units are functional in USA, Canada and UK.

“The Tohra associates earlier said it would be Panthic panchayat and now it has been described as Panthic convention. It is the general house which alone can express no confidence in the president and only the president is authorised to convene a meeting of the general house”, asserted Akali Dal secretary Kirpal Singh Badungar.

Going by the communication the Akali Dal has exchanged with the Election Commission, the last election process was completed in September, 1997. The party informed the Election Commission about it on September 27, 1997. The elections are to be held within two years and the process has already been started. The Election Commission has been informed about the expulsion of Tohra from the primary membership of the party for six years.

The new electoral college would elect the president on September 8 next. The June 15 meeting is of the delegates whoconstitute the outgoing electoral college.

The Election Commission also has the list of delegates who constitute the general house and as such, the so-called “derecognition” of Badal would not stand legal scrutiny, claim the supporters of the Chief Minister. The Alamgir meeting is not of delegates.

“We have convened a meeting of primary members of the Akali Dal”, said Tohra associate Prem Singh Chandumajra, former MP. He claimed the meeting would be attended by more than one lakh members and activists, including about 10,000 from outside Punjab.

He said Badal would be “impeached” for non-performance, backtracking from the poll promises and confronting Akal Takht. The sacking of Bhai Ranjit Singh as Akal Takht Jathedar would be a major issue. According to Chandumajra, the new outfit would join hands at the first stage with parties and organisations which continue to recognise Bhai Ranjit Singh as the Akal Takht Jathedar.