Amid rebellion, SAD to hold delegate session in Nov

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday decided to hold a three-day delegate session in the first week of November at Anandpur Sahib to prepare the long-term future agenda of the party.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the party’s core committee, presided over by SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal.

The committee decided the delegate session would deliberate on issues including injustices perpetrated on Punjab as well as issues of health, education, environment, NRI community and ways and means to strengthen federalism.

It was also decided to hold political conferences on August 15 to commemorate the martyrdom of Shaheed Karnail Singh Isru at Isru village in Khanna, on August 19 at Baba Bakala on the occasion of Rakhar Punya and on August 20 at Longowal to commemorate the death anniversary of Sant Harchand Singh Longowal.

Meanwhile, both working and the core committees, which met here, also confirmed all the decisions taken by the disciplinary committee of the party on July 30 and August 1 under which several leaders were expelled from the party for indulging in ‘anti-party’ activities.

Leaders including former SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur, former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, former ministers Sikandar Singh Maluka, Parmminder Singh Dhindsa and Surjeet Singh Rakhra, former MLAs Gurpartap Singh Wadal and Surinder Singh Bhullewal Rathan and Sukhbir’s political secretary Charanjit Brar who have rebelled were expelled. Two days later party also expelled the party’s patron Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa for siding with the rebels.

Both committees also passed a resolution giving their approval to the party chief to fill up the vacancies created in the working committee due to the death of some members as well as those who had either left the party or had been expelled.

The party president took strong notice of the political vendetta unleashed against senior leader Bikram Singh Majithia during the meeting. Other members also expressed solidarity with Majithia.

Daljit Cheema, while briefing mediapersons, also took note of the precarious financial situation in the state stating that the debt had gone up to ₹3.5 lakh crore with the AAP government alone accumulating a debt of ₹65,000 crore.

It also condemned the manner in which the AAP government was taking long-term loans to fund its share in capital expenditure projects.

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami and party’s secretary general Balwinder Singh Bhundar also attended the meeting along with other leaders.