Sukhbir to take call on new SGPC prez

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 26

SGPC members owing allegiance to the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have authorised party president Sukhbir Singh Badal to take a call on the new head and other key office-bearers of the apex Sikh body for the next term.

The new body of the SGPC will be elected tomorrow during the general house meeting scheduled at Teja Singh Samundri Hall.

The possibility of a ‘surprise’ could not be ruled out as was in the case of Gobind Singh Longowal, who was replaced Kirpal Singh Badungar in 2017.

He has successfully completed his second term too and remained non-controversial.

Speculation is rife that incumbent Longowal might be asked to continue as he had stuck to the SAD agenda during his earlier terms.

He and his team was specially acknowledged for the holding nagar kirtan that started from Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib and passed through 17 states of India in August to mark the 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak. Besides this, the programmes at Sultanpur Lodhi were also held successfully under his leadership.

The others in the race include former minister Jathedar Tota Singh, who led the arrangements for the nagar kirtan and is the oldest member of the SGPC since 1979. In his four-decade religio-politico career, he has remained Cabinet minister twice. Another name doing the rounds is that of former SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur.

It is estimated that around 155 of the 170 elected members of the SGPC House are clearly aligned with SAD. If the voting is done in case of any opposition, even then there would be clear-cut win of candidates associated with SAD. SAD spokesperson Diljit Singh Cheema said the SAD president held meetings on November 24-25 followed by a detailed discussion here today with SGPC members to know their view-point.