Brahmpura group lays
claim to SGPC post
From Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, Oct 31 — A delegation from the Majha area, led by Mr Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Cooperation Minister, has reportedly urged Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister and President of the Shiromani Akali Dal, to elect Mr Balbir Singh Naushehra Pannua, as the President of the SGPC in place of Bibi Jagir Kaur.

The annual election of the SGPC President is slated for November 10. Mr Pannua is Vice-President of the SGPC.

According to highly placed sources in the SAD, the MLAs and SGPC members close to Mr Brahmpura had urged Mr Badal that the President of the SGPC should be from the Majha region this time. The meeting was hosted by Mr Brahmpura in his residence at Chandigarh. Apart from Mr Badal and Mr Brahmpura, Dr Rattan Singh, Minister for Animal Husbandry, Mr Vir Singh Lopoke, Mr Manmohan Singh Sathiala, all MLAs, and several SGPC members from the Majha region were also present at the dinner hosted by Mr Brahmpura. While reposing full faith in the leadership of Mr Badal, the Brahmpura group staked the claim of Mr Naushehra Pannu for the post of SGPC President.

Mr Brahmpura confirmed that Mr Badal met the delegation at his residence. He, however, refused to divulge the details of the meetings.

He claimed that Mr Naushehra Pannua was the most deserving candidate for the post. In view of his sacrifice for the Panth, he should be elected to the post. However, he said that Mr Badal being the President of the SAD had the full authority to announce candidature for the post. "We would support any candidate announced by Mr Badal", Mr Brahmpura announced.

Mr Naushehra Pannua is a close confidant of Mr Brahmpura.

On her part, Bibi Jagir Kaur, President of the SGPC, refused to comment on the claim by the Brahmpura group. She said the SGPC executive had already given all powers to Mr Badal to announce the candidate for the post of SGPC President. Whatever decision Mr Badal took in this regard would be acceptable to her.

Mr Naushehra Pannua also confirmed that he, along with ministers/MLAs and SGPC members from the Majha region, had urged Mr Badal to elect him as the next SGPC President.

At the time of the power struggle between Mr Badal and Mr Tohra, Mr Naushehra Pannua had played a significant role in removing Mr Tohra as President of the SGPC in March this year.

In yet another significant development, Mr Badal has assured the Brahmpura group that the services of all "overaged" employees of the SGPC would be terminated after the presidential election.

This was learnt in a fax message received by Mr Baldev Singh, an SGPC member from Chugawan who had threatened to go on a fast in the SGPC office in this regard. The fax was sent by Mr Brahmpura after the meeting with Mr Badal. Mr Baldev Singh is also close to Mr Brahmpura.