Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Badal meets Himachal CM Sukhu amid turmoil in own party back home
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Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president and former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal met Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday (August 8, 2024).
The meeting, which took place at the Secretariat in Shimla, lasted about 20 minutes and saw the two leaders discussing the political landscapes of both Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. Sukhbir Badal’s unexpected visit to the state Secretariat was seen as a courtesy call on CM Sukhu. However, the timing is noteworthy, given the current internal strife within the Shiromani Akali Dal.
A day ago, the SAD working committee and core committee had reaffirmed Sukhbir Badal’s leadership despite mounting pressure from rebels and political analysts urging his resignation in favour of younger leadership. Accepting the challenge posed by dissidents demanding a full delegate meeting, the committees have scheduled a three-day session of the 526 Akali Dal delegates at Anandpur Sahib in November. This will be the first such extended session since 1978; the last one-day session was held in 2019.
The working committee endorsed Badal’s decision to expel nine senior leaders and to form a new core committee. In a late evening meeting, the core committee announced several programs and passed a resolution condemning what it described as “vendetta politics” by the Bhagwant Mann government against Bikram Singh Majithia. Majithia, who faces drug smuggling charges, has been repeatedly summoned by a special investigation team (SIT) of the Punjab Police.
The resolution, voicing strong support for Majithia, underscores the party’s refusal to succumb to pressure tactics.
Despite months of silence on Majithia’s fate, the party’s recent resolution marks a renewed commitment to rally behind him. This comes amid internal dissent, with a rebel group challenging Sukhbir Badal’s leadership, although Majithia, Badal’s brother-in-law, has remained silent on these internal disputes.
Detailing the decisions of the SAD working and core committees, party spokesperson Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema noted that Badal presided over the core committee meeting. He highlighted that the upcoming delegate session will address crucial issues, including perceived injustices against Punjab, and matters related to health, education, the environment, the NRI community, and federalism.
