The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Working Committee, which accepted the resignation of Sukhbir Singh Badal as president of the party, has decided to elect the new party chief on March 1, 2025.
Senior SAD leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said the Working Committee has decided to launch the membership drive for reconstitution of the organizational structure of the party on January 20.
He disclosed that the membership drive would last for one month and that the election to the president of the party would be held on March 1, 2025.
The Working Committee on its part recorded the exemplary service extended by Badal to the party. “I am deeply touched by the love and trust they reposed in me,” he said, asserting that he would continue to serve the party and Punjab as a humble worker with renewed vigour and commitment.
Senior party leader Gulzar Singh Ranike had been made the chief election officer to conduct the organizational elections. Dr Cheema also disclosed that SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami had been given charge of Jammu and Kashmir and Hoshiarpur, Kirpal Singh Badungar of the entire Malwa region, Manpreet Singh Ayali of Rajasthan, Santa Singh Umaidpur of Himachal Pradesh, Iqbal Singh Jhunda of Malerkotla, Paramjit Singh Sarna of Delhi, Manjit Singh GK of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and Raghujit Singh Virk of Haryana.
Dr Cheema also made an appeal to all leaders who are presently outside the SAD due to initiation of disciplinary action against them to approach the disciplinary committee so that their cases could be taken up for their return to the party.
The SAD Working Committee took strong notice of the National Policy Framework on Agri Marketing which it said sought to destroy the entire agri marketing structure in Punjab and promote privatization.
Asserting this was being done to reintroduce the three agricultural laws, the Committee demanded a special session of the Vidhan Sabha be convened to reject the draft framework on agri marketing.
It also condemned both the central government as well as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab for turning a blind eye to the grievances of farmers and not doing anything to ensure the end of the fast unto death of senior Kisan leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal.
It also condemned the AAP government for thrusting thousands of fake names into the voter list for the SGPC elections and demanded all fake entries be deleted immediately. It also condemned the manner in which the post of chief secretary had been created in Chandigarh besides other posts to further dilute Punjab’s right over the union territory.