Sukhbir Badal gets fresh membership at Badal village as SAD begins drive in Punjab
The SAD on Monday started its fresh membership drive as per its schedule given on January 10. Former SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal got a fresh membership of the party by filling a form at the party's office at Badal village here.
Sukhbir said that as per the directions of acting president Balwinder Singh Bhunder, the party has started its membership drive today.
"Nearly 40,000 people are expected to become the members of the SAD from just Lambi Assembly constituency. We have an overall target to make 50 lakh members of the party," said Sukhbir.
Notably, the rebel Akali leader Gurpartap Singh Wadala had on Thursday met the Akal Takht Jathedar Raghbir Singh seeking clarification regarding the supervision of the new membership drive of the SAD.
After the meeting, Wadala had claimed that only the seven-member committee formed by the Akal Takht on December 2 last year was able to undertake the membership drive of the SAD. He had claimed that the Jathedar asked him to meet the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami to decide about the drive.
Notably, the seven-member committee formed by the Akal Takht included, Dhami, former SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar, SAD leader Iqbal Singh Jhunda, rebel leader Gurpartap Singh Wadala, MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali, Santa Singh Umaidpur and Satwant Kaur.
However, the SAD had on January 10 formed its own panel to oversee the drive.
Notably, the SAD leaders, including former minister Daljit Singh Cheema, have been regularly saying that the formation of seven-member committee as ordered by the Akal Takht would lead to the derecognition of the party from the Election Commission, thus they were unable to follow this directive.
Sukhbir on HSGPC elections
About the HSGPC elections results, Sukhbir said: "The public yesterday gave a clear message with the results of Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (HSGPC) elections. Those with big powers, who will interfere in the Sikh religion, will be thrown out. (Baljit Singh) Daduwal and others, who have lost the election, are the men of agencies. They vitiated the atmosphere in Punjab and Haryana too. Daduwal and others were behind the split of SGPC and formation of the HSGPC. This is a clear message to these powers that don't interfere in any religion matters. Let the followers of that religion take their decisions."