Haryana gurdwara panel to elect president, office-bearers at Kurukshetra today
Days after the co-opting of nine additional members, the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) is set to elect its president and other office-bearers on May 23 at Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi in Kurukshetra.
All 49 members of the committee, including the nine newly co-opted, will participate in the election.
The political scenario within the committee has taken an interesting turn with two major factions claiming majority support. A joint group led by former HSGMC presidents Jagdish Singh Jhinda and Jathedar Baljeet Singh Daduwal has emerged as a strong contender, claiming the support of 29 members.
Daduwal, who lost as an Independent in the January 19 HSGMC elections, was among the nine co-opted members added during a meeting chaired by Justice HS Bhalla (retd), head of the Gurdwara Election Commission, in Panchkula on May 11. His inclusion has tilted the balance of power in the committee.
“We have sufficient support to elect the president, senior vice-president and other office-bearers from our group. The names for these posts will be finalised before the election,” said Daduwal. He maintained that their support includes five of the newly co-opted members, nine from Jhinda’s Panthak Dal and 15 others, including two from Didar Singh Nalvi’s Sikh Samaj Sanstha.
Jhinda affirmed the unity between the two leaders saying, “For the welfare of the Sikh community, our united front aims to prevent any external interference, particularly from the Badal faction, in Haryana’s gurdwara affairs.”
On the other hand, Akal Panthak Morcha leader Prakash Singh Sahuwala has claimed support from 20 members, but is confident to get office-bearers elected from his morcha. “Several members from the other group are in touch with us. We are confident to get office-bearers elected from our morcha,” Sahuwala said.
