Ranike to oversee SAD membership drive
The Shiromani Akali Dal on Thursday said its one-month-long membership drive will be held under the supervision of its senior leader Gulzar Singh Ranike — the party’s chief election officer for the organisational poll to be conducted on March 1.
The announcement came amid allegations by a group of rebel Akali leaders that the party has defied an Akal Takht edict of December 2 by overlooking a seven-member panel constituted by the temporal seat to initiate the drive.
The Takht-mandated panel is headed by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Harjinder Singh Dhami and includes rebel leader Gurpartap Singh Wadala.
It also includes Dakha MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali, who had sought a change in the party leadership but did not join the rebels.
The party had announced to undertake the drive from January 20 while rejecting the panel formulated by the Akal Takht, citing legal and constitutional issues in complying with the order of a religious body. The party aims to make 25 lakh new members.
SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema in a statement said, “All plans are being finalised to start the membership drive on January 20. These include printing material for distribution to the party cadre as well as framing the rules and regulations for the drive as per constitutional norms.”
Cheema said it had been decided to hold training sessions for the designated observers so that the entire process could be conducted in transparent manner.
He said it was shocking that the entire state Cabinet led by the Chief Minister was camping in Delhi for the Assembly elections there.
Cheema said even as the entire Cabinet is slated to remain there till February 5 when the elections take place, Punjab is witnessing a slew of grenade attacks.
“Agitating farmers have also been left to their own fate with CM Bhagwant Mann failing to take up their issues with the Prime Minister, endangering the life of fasting farm leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal,” he said.
He also demanded a special session of the Vidhan Sabha to discuss the draft Framework on Agricultural Marketing, through which, he said the Centre wanted to reintroduce provisions that were part of the now-withdrawn three central farm laws.
