Shiromani Akali Dal rebel faction rejects expulsion of eight leaders

Chandigarh, Jul 31 (PTI) The Shiromani Akali Dal's rebel faction rejected on Wednesday the expulsion of eight leaders, saying the leadership did not follow protocol while expelling them from the party.
    The development came a day after the Sukhbir Singh Badal-led outfit expelled eight rebel leaders, including former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra and ex-Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Bibi Jagir Kaur, for revolting against the party chief.
    The Shiromani Akali Dal's disciplinary committee also expelled ex-MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala and former ministers Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Sikandar Singh Maluka, Surjit Singh Rakhra, Surinder Singh Thekedar and Charanjit Singh Brar.
    Addressing reporters here, party patron Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said the disciplinary committee did not have the authority to expel leaders.
    The right to expel anyone lies with the working committee, not the disciplinary committee, he said.
    "We reject this decision (to expel the eight leaders)," Dhindsa said.
    The disciplinary committee was led by senior leader Balwinder Singh Bhundar.
    Dhindsa further said they would call a delegate convention for the election of a new party president and office-bearers to "revive" the Shiromani Akali Dal.
    There are more than 500 party delegates who can vote to elect office-bearers.
    "Sukhbir (Singh Badal) is not fit to remain party president," Dhindsa asserted.
    Wadala, who was expelled on Tuesday, called the move unconstitutional, saying no notice was issued to them.
    Former MP Chandumajra, while questioning the action, asked if making efforts to revive the party was seen as indiscipline.
    He expressed displeasure over the party not implementing the Jhunda committee report, which had recommended a change in leadership.
    The Shiromani Akali Dal had set up a committee led by Iqbal Singh Jhundan to analyse the reasons for its defeat in the 2022 Punjab assembly polls.
    Meanwhile, the Shiromani Akali Dal said party patron Dhindsa did not have any authority to stay proceedings of the disciplinary committee, which expelled the leaders for indulging in "anti-party activities".
    In a statement, Bhundar, who heads the committee, said, "Dhindsa is a senior leader and should know that the party patron cannot overrule any party decisions."
    Asserting that it was unfortunate that instead of advising the rank and file not to indulge in anti-party activities, Dhindsa had chosen to lead the team of expelled leaders, acting as "a self-styled dictator by trying to override decisions taken as per the party's constitution".
    Bhundar also asserted that action had been taken against the eight leaders after they did not heed the resolution passed by the working committee on June 26, appealing to discuss their misgivings in the party forum.
    He said the expelled leaders had made their intention to work against the party clear by forming a parallel organisation, without the approval of the Shiromani Akali Dal president and with the sole aim of misleading the cadre.
    A section of senior leaders last month revolted against Badal, demanding that he step down as party chief following the Shiromani Akali Dal's performance in the Lok Sabha elections in Punjab.
    Among the prominent faces who revolted against Badal were Chandumajra, Kaur and Wadala, former ministers Maluka, Dhindsa, Rakhra and Sarwan Singh Phillaur, and party leader Sucha Singh Chhotepur.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)