DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal reconstituted his party's core committee on Sunday, days after dissolving the party's highest decision-making body in the face of a rebellion by a section of its leaders. The reconstituted core committee of the SAD has 23 members and four ex-officio special invitees. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Harjinder Singh Dhami has been inducted into the committee as a member.

Besides the SGPC chief, senior SAD leaders Balwinder Singh Bhundar, Naresh Gujral, Gulzar Singh Ranike, Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Hira Singh Gabria, Bikram Singh Majithia, Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, Anil Joshi, Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Sohan Singh Thandal and Paramjit Singh Sarna have been named as members of the core committee.

The other members of the reconstituted committee include SAD leaders Manjit Singh GK, Iqbal Singh Jhunda, Virsa Singh Valtoha, Gurbachan Singh Babehali, MLA Sukhwinder Sukhi, Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal, N K Sharma, Mantar Singh Brar, Harmeet Singh Sandhu and Baldev Singh Khehra.

The previous core committee of the party was dissolved on July 23.

Senior SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema on Sunday said the party's core committee has been reconstituted as per the resolution of the working committee which had entrusted Sukhbir Singh Badal with this responsibility.

The leader of the SAD in Parliament, presidents of the youth, women and legal wings of the party will be the core committee's ex-officio members, he added.

The 103-year-old political outfit is facing the worst rebellion in its history with a section of party leaders revolting against Sukhbir Singh Badal, demanding that he step down as party chief following the debacle in the Lok Sabha elections in Punjab.

Several prominent leaders who raised a banner of revolt last month against Badal are former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur, ex-MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala, and former ministers Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Sikandar Singh Maluka and Surjit Singh Rakhra.

Chandumajra, Maluka, Wadala and Rakhra, among other party leaders, were the members of the core committee. Later, the SAD expelled party patron Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and eight rebel leaders for alleged anti-party activities. Besides Dhindsa, the SAD had expelled Chandumajra, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Wadala and former ministers Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Sikandar Singh Maluka, Surjit Singh Rakhra, Surinder Singh Thekedar and Charanjit Singh Brar.
(editor@dailyworld.in)