Jhundan panel has not called for leadership change in SAD: Bhundar
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Balwinder Singh Bhundar is the top-most leader after party president Sukhbir Singh Badal and held the post of general secretary after the latter dismantled the party structure last month, in a step towards implementing Jhundan committee recommendations to rejuvenate party.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Balwinder Singh Bhundar on Friday said the Jhundan Committee report had not called for a leadership change. He said this while attending meetings with party’s halqa incharges and working committee members.
Bhundar is the top-most leader after party president Sukhbir Singh Badal and held the post of general secretary after the latter dismantled the party structure last month, in a step towards implementing Jhundan committee recommendations to rejuvenate party.
His comments came four days after a section of the party leadership met in Amritsar at the residence of Ravi Karan Singh Kahlon. Senior leaders, including former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra and former speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal, along with other leaders seeking change in leadership at the top-level, were in attendance.
It is pertinent to mention that Chandmajra and Kahlon attended Friday’s meetings and raised no demand for change in leadership. “The committee has given 42 suggestions and they are being taken up for consideration,” said Bhunder, taking forward party’s conspiracy theory to attack the SAD president and weaken the Akali Dal, “because it had always stood up to guard regional aspirations”.
Chandumajra, in the meeting, suggested for implementing committee’s recommendations which has been kept a secret, and according to the party spokesperson, the party president would release it.
A 13-member committee under former MLA Iqbal Singh Jhundan was constituted by party president Sukhbir Singh Badal to suggest a course-correction.
In a meeting with the party’s district jathedars (presidents) Thursday, party leadership has blamed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government as conspiring against SAD, as part of its larger design to weaken the regional political parties.
Sukhbir Badal, in Friday’s meetings, assured the party leaders that all suggestions would be taken into account and the party would never compromise on principles. “All views which are aimed at strengthening the party will be implemented,” Badal assured.
As per the press release received from party headquarters here, the working committee and constituency in-charges authorised Sukhbir Badal to take appropriate steps to strengthen the party and maintain party discipline.
Later addressing mediapersons, Bhunder and Chandumajra said Punjabis were suffering due to the “directionless policies of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government which had left people to their fate”.
“We will not keep quiet in the face of suffering caused to the farming community which has not got any compensation for crop losses due to recent rains or for selling their moong crop below the minimum support price. The party will soon come out with a party programme for this purpose,” he added.
Support SGPC in its programme
The leaders also urged the party rank and file to support the programme of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to hand over memorandums to deputy commissioners in all districts seeking release of Sikh detenues on the occasion of 75th Independence Day which is also being celebrated as Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
In both meetings, party leaders expressed condolences over the demise of senior leaders – former minister Jathedar Tota Singh and former speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon as well as Sarabjit Kaur, wife of senior leader Balbir Singh Bath.