Latest news with #Sukhbir
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Rift widens, Sukhbir faction turns down rebels' invite for party polls
The chances of reconciliation between Sukhbir Singh Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the rebel faction appear to have diminished, with the Sukhbir camp making it clear that it will not participate in the upcoming election of office-bearers scheduled for August 11. Senior SAD leader Daljit Cheema The Sukhbir faction has emphasised that the election, already held on April 13 for the recast of the party, renders the new election unnecessary. Recently, the rebel faction extended an invitation to Sukhbir to join the election process for new office-bearers, with Manpreet Singh Ayali, one of the rebel leaders, stating that the election was being held to 'overhaul the party and make it a stronger regional force.' Ayali added that they were acting under the guidance of the Akal Takht, which had called for unity within the party. Senior SAD leader Daljit Cheema, however, dismissed the rebel faction's efforts, calling the membership drive a 'farce.' He questioned the legitimacy of the five-member committee, which claimed to have inducted 26 lakh new members, given the resignation of two key figures. Cheema flayed the rebel faction for their attempts to seek participation in the election process, stating that those sending invitations to join had never been members of the party. 'The members they inducted have no meaning, as the party they joined doesn't exist anymore,' Cheema said. He further clarified that the membership drive, which had been a point of contention, was conducted with permission from the Akal Takht, and followed procedures set by the Sikh temporal seat. The tension began to escalate in June last year when a group of party leaders, dissatisfied with Sukhbir's leadership, launched the 'Akali Dal Bachao Lehar' and demanded his removal as party president. The rebel faction, which included Gurpartap Singh Wadala, convener of the Sudhar Leher, Sikandar Singh Maluka, Surjit Singh Rakhra, Jagir Kaur, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Kiranjot Kaur, Manjit Singh, Surinder Bhullewal, Charanjit Singh Brar, Harinder Pal Tohra and Gaganjit Singh Barnala, has been critical of Sukhbir's role during his tenure as deputy chief minister in the SAD-BJP coalition government from 2007 to 2017. They also sought an apology from Sukhbir for alleged mistakes committed by his government. On December 2, 2024, the Akal Takht imposed a 'tankha' (religious punishment) on Sukhbir and other SAD leaders for their actions during the previous SAD-led government. This move came after a complaint filed by the rebel faction, accusing Sukhbir of damaging Sikh interests and the party's reputation. The Akal Takht also called for his resignation and directed the formation of a new seven-member committee to carry out a membership drive and elect new office-bearers within six months. The five Sikh high priests also directed both factions to bury the hatchet and forge unity for Panth's cause. Following this, the rebel leaders on December 3 last year announced to dissolve their group and discontinue the 'Sudhar Lehar'. The Akal Takht-appointed committee faced challenges when its coordinator, Harjinder Singh Dhami, and another key member, Kirpal Singh Badungar, resigned, leaving the group with only five members. Despite this, the Sukhbir faction continued its own recruitment drive, asserting its legal position. On April 12, Sukhbir was re-elected as the party's president. The SAD's electoral graph has been falling since 2017. In the 2022 state assembly elections, the party could win only three seats and in recently held Lok Sabha polls, the party won only one seat (Bathinda) and its candidates lost deposits on 10 seats. 'Never pushed for an alliance with BJP' Reacting to the recent remarks by newly appointed BJP's Punjab working president Ashwani Sharma who ruled out any alliance with the SAD, Daljit Singh Cheema said the Akali Dal never pushed for an alliance with the BJP. He pointed out that the party contested the 2022 Punjab assembly polls and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls solo. Sharma's statement came in the backdrop of Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar making a strong pitch for re-stitching the alliance with the Akali Dal, claiming it to be the need of the hour. 'We have never pushed for an alliance with the BJP nor have we spoken in public forums. In case there are speculations from certain quarters, we cannot help,' said Cheema. The party had cut ties of 24 years with the BJP in 2020 feeling the pressure from the state peasantry, which was protesting against the three farm laws. BJP's political fortunes are on a downward slide as it went solo in the 2022 state and 2024 Lok Sabha polls but failed to make a significant mark. While the SAD faced a drubbing in the assembly polls, winning just three seats, the BJP won two. In parliamentary polls, the SAD could only win the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat, while the BJP failed to open its account. 'We are not in hurry of a re-alliance with the BJP,' said another leader, adding that party leaders are working hard and the party would witness a turnaround..
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Sukhbir Badal avoids direct response to Sunil Jakhar's call for BJP-SAD alliance
Bathinda: (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday sidestepped calls from Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar for a renewed alliance between the two former political partners, saying elections were still distant and that "time will tell". Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He also tore down the state's land pooling plan as anti-farmer. Speaking at a party rally in Zira, Sukhbir refrained from addressing Jakhar's statement directly, that a BJP-SAD alliance was crucial to preserving communal harmony in Punjab. "We welcome anyone who supports Punjab's progress," Badal said, without confirming or rejecting the proposal. Jakhar, a former Congress member, had reiterated on Sunday that an alliance between the BJP and SAD was "the need of the hour", amid concerns about rising divisive forces. He had made similar appeals before the 2024 general elections. The rally also marked the induction of Harpreet Singh Hero, son of late Akali bigwig Harcharan Singh Hero, into the SAD. Harpreet was appointed party's constituency in-charge for Zira. Sukhbir used the occasion to criticise both the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), blaming them for launching what he called a "malicious campaign" against the SAD in connection with the 2015 sacrilege cases. He pointed to recent remarks by Congress members Pargat Singh and Sukhjinder Randhawa, in which he said they had admitted that their party had politicised the issue without intent to deliver justice. "The truth is surfacing finally," Sukhbir said. "The Congress only wanted to defame us, not punish those responsible for the sacrilege." Turning his focus to the AAP govt, Sukhbir accused its leadership of prioritising profits over Punjab's interests, alleging that deals were made with Delhi-based builders to acquire and redistribute 40,000 acres of fertile farmland. "These transactions are meant to fill party coffers at the expense of our farmers," he claimed. Senior SAD member Janmeja Singh Sekhon also addressed the crowd, urging people to compare the development during SAD's 2007–2017 tenure with the "administrative failures" of the Congress and AAP govts that had followed.
Time of India
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Azad Group joins SAD, Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa to contest Tarn Taran bypoll
Jhabal (Tarn Taran): Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday announced Azad Group president Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa as the party's candidate for the Tarn Taran bypoll, marking the merger of the grassroots group into the SAD. The merger is a shot in the arm for the SAD in the rural, border constituency. Addressing a rally where he made the announcement, Sukhbir said Randhawa, along with 43 serving sarpanches, eight municipal councillors, and several former sarpanches and chairmen, had joined the SAD. He also declared Randhawa as the party's halqa in-charge for Tarn Taran. The bypoll was necessitated by June 27 passing away of AAP MLA Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal. The Election Commission is yet to announce a date for the bypoll, but the AAP, the BJP and the SAD have already started work for the electoral contest. Three-time MLA Harmeet Singh Sandhu joined the AAP last week, while BJP announced former minister Surjit Kumar Jyani as its in-charge for the constituency just a day later. Sandhu had quit SAD in 2024. At the rally in Tarn Taran's Jhabal village, Sukhbir said senior SAD functionary Gulzar Singh Ranike would be the in-charge for the bypoll campaign. He appealed to Punjabis to unite under the Akali flag to counter "outside forces" who wanted to loot the state. "These forces were behind the 2015 acts of sacrilege which were committed with the sole aim of weakening SAD. We have already called for an independent probe into these sacrilege cases as it feels that only a free-and-fair probe can unmask AAP's role in these heinous incidents," Sukhbir said. He said the AAP's role in the incidents of sacrilege was evident from the conviction of its legislator for sacrilege of the Quran. Randhawa said parties often neglected Punjab after coming to power and accused AAP govt of handing over the state's control to Delhi.
Hindustan Times
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Punjab: Takht-appointed committee invites Sukhbir to join joint election process
A committee formed by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, has invited Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal to take part in the election of office-bearers for the party, to be elected within a month. The rebel faction of the SAD plans to elect 500 delegates, nearly the same number as the delegates of the SAD led by Sukhbir Singh Badal . (HT File) The rebel faction of the SAD plans to elect 500 delegates, nearly the same number as the delegates of the SAD led by Sukhbir. 'We are in the process of finalising the list of members. After that we will announce the delegates, three to four from all 117 assembly constituencies in the state,' said Manpreet Singh Ayali, a leader of the rebel faction and one of the five members in the committee constituted by the Akal Takht on December 2 last year, to enrol members for the SAD and hold election of office-bearers. The Akal Takht's December 2, 2024, decree not only awarded tankhah (religious punishment) to Sukhbir and other SAD leaders for mistakes committed by the party and its government from 2007-2017 on the complaint of rebel party leaders, but also directed the SAD working committee to accept his resignation as SAD president, besides constituting a seven-member committee to initiate a recruitment drive and elect new office-bearers in six months. However, the Sukhbir faction initiated a recruitment drive under a SAD working committee, citing legalities. It was termed as violation of the decree. Despite criticism, the Sukhbir faction continued the drive. The panel faced a setback after its coordinator Harjinder Singh Dhami and member Kirpal Singh Badungar quit. 'We have already enrolled 12 lakh members, with an additional 14 lakh pending verification. After this, we will proceed with electing the delegates, who will then vote to elect the party's office-bearers, including the president,' Ayali said. The committee has given Sukhbir a one-month window to respond to their invitation and take part in the joint election process involving delegates from both the Akal Takht committee and the SAD's recent reorganisation. The Akal Takht-appointed committee has also expanded its membership campaign beyond Punjab, reaching out to Haryana, Chandigarh and even international communities. 'The response has been overwhelmingly positive, both domestically and abroad,' Ayali noted. 'We are currently in the process of counting the total number of enrollments.' The committee's key members include Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Iqbal Singh Jhundan, Bibi Satwant Kaur and Santa Singh Umaidpur. While the Akal Takht committee has extended the invitation, SAD leaders have chosen not to comment until they receive a formal communication. 'We have reorganised the party, and Sukhbir Singh Badal was unanimously re-elected as president in April 2023,' a senior SAD leader said. 'There is no basis for a re-election at this point.' Sukhbir's journey as the SAD president has been marked by ups and downs. He was first elected to the position in 2008 and was re-elected for a fourth term in April 2023, making him the longest-serving and youngest president in the party's 104-year history. However, Sukhbir resigned from his post in November 2023 following a ruling by the Akal Takht, which declared him guilty of religious misconduct due to alleged actions of the party and its government between 2007 and 2017. His resignation was officially accepted in January 2024. Sukhbir survived an assassination attempt in December 2023 by a former Khalistani terrorist while performing sewa at Amritsar's Golden Temple. When Sukhbir was out of the post of the party president, Balwinder Singh Bhundar was the working president, who now is number 2 in the party as secretary general.
Indian Express
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Kejriwal responsible for increased extortion and targeted killings in Punjab: SAD chief
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday held AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal 'responsible for the collapse of law and order situation and steep rise in extortion and targeted killings in Punjab'. 'Punjab is slipping into lawlessness, but Kejriwal, who is ruling the state as proxy, is only interested in collecting money,' Sukhbir alleged, urging the people to 'unite to stop the loot of Punjab and its resources by Kejriwal'. Sukhbir made statements during his visit to Moga to enquire about the condition of Dr Aniljit Kamboj, who continues to be on ventilator support at a private hospital after being shot at by alleged associates of designated terrorist Lakhbir Landa, alias Landa Harike. The former chief minister said, 'Targeted killings have increased drastically. Renowned businessman Sanjay Verma of Abohar was gunned down a few days ago. The situation has become so bad that prominent businessmen have started investing in other states. People in the state are in perpetual fear as they have no trust in the state security apparatus to safeguard their lives.' Sukhbir said, 'Previous SAD governments had a stellar record as far as maintaining law and order is concerned. The SAD has always stood for peace and communal harmony. We made this a reality during our stints in power.' Badal said the situation 'deteriorated to such an extent because Punjab is being remote-controlled from Delhi. Delhiwalas have no interest in the welfare of Punjabis; they are busy looting the state.' Later, the SAD president held meetings with party leaders and workers in Jagraon and Ludhiana over the July 15 protest against the AAP government's land pooling scheme. 'We will not allow even one inch of land to be acquired,' Sukhbir said, alleging: 'The AAP government wants to grab 24,000 acres of fertile land on the periphery of Ludhiana City in the name of the land pooling scheme. Party units in Jagraon and Ludhiana told me that they would not let the nefarious design of the AAP government to sell the 24,000 acres to builders of Delhi succeed at any cost.' 'Farmers have realised that their fertile land is going to be acquired forcibly for peanuts under an old acquisition law,' Badal added.
