With a section of senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders expressing resentment over the way the party is being run by former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal’s family, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday said he is ready to step down if the party wants it.

“I have been given chance to serve the party. The party is bigger than anyone. I am leading the party on its direction. I am duty bound to do whatever the party asks me to do. If it demands my resignation, I am ready for it,” Sukhbir said in Amritsar when asked about revolt by veteran SAD leaders from the Majha region.

Since senior Badal has taken a back seat and Sukhbir is calling the shots in the party, a section of senior SAD leadership including Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, former MP Ratan Singh Ajnala, former minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa have raised the banner of revolt against the party president. Ajnala on Sunday blamed Badal family’s control over the SAD for resentment among party workers and leaders. He also said they will meet party workers across Punjab in order to save the Akali Dal.

The Akali Dal is passing through a tough political phase in recent memory following former chief minister Badal’s indictment by the Ranjit Singh Commission, which looked into sacrilege cases and subsequent firing by cops on Sikh protesters in 2015, for the police action at Kotkapura.

Dissenting voices against the leadership have emerged in the party and the SAD leadership (read Badals) is also being blamed for the Akal Takht pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief in blasphemy case which had to be reversed.

Earlier this week, senior SAD leader and member of Parliament (MP) Ranjit Singh Brahmpura had resigned from all party posts citing advanced age and health grounds. Senior party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa had also resigned from all positions of the party.

The MP from Khadoor Sahib, Brahmpura had said he was unhappy and unfortunate to be part of the Akali Dal on two devastating issues, which include flip-flop decision to pardon Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and Barghari sacrilege incidents.