News Analysis India

Tag: Sukhbir Singh Badal

  • Punjab: SAD chief Sukhbir Singh announces groundbreaking changes aimed at strengthening the party

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: Sensing that all is not well within the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as a section ofsenior party leaders are demanding a change in the leadership, clearly indicating that Sukhbir Singh Badal should step down as the party chief.

    Sukhbir took everyone by surprise and announced that the party president would be eligible to hold office for two terms of five years each following which the incumbent would have to take a break of one term.

    Sukhbir announced that the party would concentrate on developing the next generation of leaders by reserving fifty per cent seats in the forthcoming assembly He said changes would be effected at the highest level of decision-making in the party – the core committee – also. 

    “This will lead to induction of fresh leadership at the very top”, he added. He also announced the formation of an Advisory Board including intellectuals and learned people from all walks of life who would advise the President on important matters.

    Sukhbir said elections to the new organizational structure would be completed by November 30 under the supervision of the Central Election Body. He said 117 Observers would be appointed to oversee the entire exercise across all constituencies of the State. “The focus will be on the creation of Booth Committees which will choose the Booth President. The latter will elect the Circle Presidents who in turn will elect the District Presidents.’’

    Keeping in view the focus on strengthening party organizations, Sukhbir announced that the YAD and SOI would be reconstituted and that the Sikh Student Federation would be revived. He said the upper age for YAD members would be 35 years of age with a five-year concession in age being given to the President.

    ALSO READ | SAD seeks CBI, ED probe into Punjab’s excise policy ‘scam’; meets Governor

    He said similarly the upper age of SOI and SSF members would be thirty years only and only students would be enrolled in these organizations. The new changes also include the formation of a Parliamentary Board which will examine ways and means to attract the best talent into the party as well as suggest the best candidates for the assembly elections.

    Badal announced that a Disciplinary Board headed by Sikander Singh Maluka had already been created and appealed to party workers to air their differences in the appropriate party forums and not go to the media.

    SAD  president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday announced a set of groundbreaking changes aimed at strengthening the party.

     ‘One family one election formula’ to ensure that no other post is given to any family member of the constituency in charge. 
    District presidents will not contest elections 
    50% of seats in the forthcoming assembly election are reserved for party workers below the age of fifty.
    Sikh office bearers in the party would be `Sabat Soorat’ 
    The president of the party would be eligible to hold office for two terms of five years each. For the third term, one year gap is mandatory. 
    Formation of the government Chairmanships at both the district and State level would be given to party workers and family members of MPs and MLAs would not be considered for these posts. 
    Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes would be given due representation in the party at all levels. 
    He said the core committee would be reconstituted to include members of the new generation including youth, women and representatives of all sections of society.
    Special efforts will be made to reach out to NRIs and address their concerns and grievances.
    A high-level advisory board consisting of writers, scholars, intellectuals, Panthic personalities and experts in different fields is to be formed. 
    SOI and Sikh Students Federation will be confined to Colleges with only an age limit of 35 years.
    Party to have its parliamentary board – recommend issues/matters to the SAD president for the final decision
    Chairmanships on boards/Corporations and other imp offices in Zila Parishad/Block Samiti are to be given to party workers only.

    CHANDIGARH: Sensing that all is not well within the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as a section of
    senior party leaders are demanding a change in the leadership, clearly indicating that Sukhbir Singh Badal should step down as the party chief.

    Sukhbir took everyone by surprise and announced that the party president would be eligible to hold office for two terms of five years each following which the incumbent would have to take a break of one term.

    Sukhbir announced that the party would concentrate on developing the next generation of leaders by reserving fifty per cent seats in the forthcoming assembly He said changes would be effected at the highest level of decision-making in the party – the core committee – also. 

    “This will lead to induction of fresh leadership at the very top”, he added. He also announced the formation of an Advisory Board including intellectuals and learned people from all walks of life who would advise the President on important matters.

    Sukhbir said elections to the new organizational structure would be completed by November 30 under the supervision of the Central Election Body. He said 117 Observers would be appointed to oversee the entire exercise across all constituencies of the State. “The focus will be on the creation of Booth Committees which will choose the Booth President. The latter will elect the Circle Presidents who in turn will elect the District Presidents.’’

    Keeping in view the focus on strengthening party organizations, Sukhbir announced that the YAD and SOI would be reconstituted and that the Sikh Student Federation would be revived. He said the upper age for YAD members would be 35 years of age with a five-year concession in age being given to the President.

    ALSO READ | SAD seeks CBI, ED probe into Punjab’s excise policy ‘scam’; meets Governor

    He said similarly the upper age of SOI and SSF members would be thirty years only and only students would be enrolled in these organizations. The new changes also include the formation of a Parliamentary Board which will examine ways and means to attract the best talent into the party as well as suggest the best candidates for the assembly elections.

    Badal announced that a Disciplinary Board headed by Sikander Singh Maluka had already been created and appealed to party workers to air their differences in the appropriate party forums and not go to the media.

    SAD  president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday announced a set of groundbreaking changes aimed at strengthening the party.

     ‘One family one election formula’ to ensure that no other post is given to any family member of the constituency in charge. 
    District presidents will not contest elections 
    50% of seats in the forthcoming assembly election are reserved for party workers below the age of fifty.
    Sikh office bearers in the party would be `Sabat Soorat’ 
    The president of the party would be eligible to hold office for two terms of five years each. For the third term, one year gap is mandatory. 
    Formation of the government Chairmanships at both the district and State level would be given to party workers and family members of MPs and MLAs would not be considered for these posts. 
    Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes would be given due representation in the party at all levels. 
    He said the core committee would be reconstituted to include members of the new generation including youth, women and representatives of all sections of society.
    Special efforts will be made to reach out to NRIs and address their concerns and grievances.
    A high-level advisory board consisting of writers, scholars, intellectuals, Panthic personalities and experts in different fields is to be formed. 
    SOI and Sikh Students Federation will be confined to Colleges with only an age limit of 35 years.
    Party to have its parliamentary board – recommend issues/matters to the SAD president for the final decision
    Chairmanships on boards/Corporations and other imp offices in Zila Parishad/Block Samiti are to be given to party workers only.

  • SIT summons Sukhbir in 2015 Faridkot firing case

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH:  A Special Investigation Team has summoned Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on August 30 for questioning in the 2015 police firing on a crowd in a desecration case.Badal was the deputy CM-cum-home minister in SAD-BJP government when incidents of desecration of religious texts and subsequent police firing on protestors took place at Kotkapura in Faridkot district.

    The SIT had questioned Badal in June last year for the same incident. Many senior SAD leaders, including Bikram Singh Majithia, Balwinder Singh Bhundar, Daljit Singh Cheema and NK Sharma had gone to the institute to show support for the leader.

    The SIT, led by Additional DGP LK Yadav, had earlier questioned former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini in the case. Badal, however, said he was yet to receive the notice and promised he would cooperate in the probe. “The Congress and the current AAP government have played politics over the issue,” he said.The notice came days after the Faridkot district and sessions court said the proceedings in the Behbal Kalan firing case will not move further in the trial court until the charge sheet in the Kotkapura firing case is filed by the SIT.

    This will be the first time during the AAP regime when Badal will be quizzed in the Kotkapura firing case. Two SITs have earlier questioned him thrice in this case. The SIT led by Additional DGP LK Yadav, which was formed last year in May, had questioned Badal the following month. Another SIT formed earlier under former IGP Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, who is now an AAP MLA, had questioned him in November 2018.

    Saini was removed as the Punjab DGP by then CM Parkash Singh Badal in 2015 following incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib and subsequent violence in which the police was accused of excesses that left two people dead.

    CHANDIGARH:  A Special Investigation Team has summoned Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on August 30 for questioning in the 2015 police firing on a crowd in a desecration case.
    Badal was the deputy CM-cum-home minister in SAD-BJP government when incidents of desecration of religious texts and subsequent police firing on protestors took place at Kotkapura in Faridkot district.

    The SIT had questioned Badal in June last year for the same incident. Many senior SAD leaders, including Bikram Singh Majithia, Balwinder Singh Bhundar, Daljit Singh Cheema and NK Sharma had gone to the institute to show support for the leader.

    The SIT, led by Additional DGP LK Yadav, had earlier questioned former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini in the case. Badal, however, said he was yet to receive the notice and promised he would cooperate in the probe. “The Congress and the current AAP government have played politics over the issue,” he said.
    The notice came days after the Faridkot district and sessions court said the proceedings in the Behbal Kalan firing case will not move further in the trial court until the charge sheet in the Kotkapura firing case is filed by the SIT.

    This will be the first time during the AAP regime when Badal will be quizzed in the Kotkapura firing case. Two SITs have earlier questioned him thrice in this case. The SIT led by Additional DGP LK Yadav, which was formed last year in May, had questioned Badal the following month. Another SIT formed earlier under former IGP Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, who is now an AAP MLA, had questioned him in November 2018.

    Saini was removed as the Punjab DGP by then CM Parkash Singh Badal in 2015 following incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib and subsequent violence in which the police was accused of excesses that left two people dead.

  • Akali Dal working committee authorises Sukhbir Badal to take steps for strengthening party

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: The working committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal on Friday authorised party president Sukhbir Singh Badal to take steps to strengthen the outfit and maintain inner-party discipline.

    The development comes in the backdrop of rumblings for a change in the leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal.

    On Thursday, a SAD statement had said a conspiracy is afoot to destabilise regional parties, asking party leaders to desist from questioning Badal’s authority or face disciplinary action.

    Badal on Friday addressed two marathon meetings of constituency incharges and the working committee separately during which SAD leaders asserted that anyone breaching party discipline should be dealt with sternly, a statement said.

    The senior leadership also expressed complete faith in Sukhbir Badal’s leadership and asserted that “he was the best person to lead the party at this juncture”, the party claimed in the statement.

    SAD leaders also gave concrete suggestions to strengthen the party, it said.

    Badal assured the party leaders that all suggestions will be taken into account and the party will never compromise on its principles.

    “All views which are aimed at strengthening the party will be implemented,” Badal said, adding that the SAD will always work for strengthening Punjab and “Punjabiyat”.

    “We will always guard the interests of Punjabis come what may,” he added.

    Briefing party men, senior leader Balwinder Singh Bhunder said the Iqbal Singh Jhundan committee report had not called for the leadership change.

    “The committee has given 42 suggestions and they are being taken up for consideration,” he said.

    Bhunder also explained that “conspiracies are afoot” to weaken the Akali Dal because it had always stood up to guard regional aspirations.

    Last month, the SAD leadership was left red-faced after Dakha MLA Ayali went against his own party by boycotting the presidential poll, saying issues related to Punjab remain unresolved and he was not consulted by his party leadership before deciding to back NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu.

    Ayali had sought the implementation of the recommendations of the Jhundan panel and had even spoken about change in the party leadership.

    The Jhudan panel was formed to analyse the reasons for the party’s humiliating defeat in the Punjab assembly polls.

    On July 28, Badal had dissolved the entire organisational structure of the party in pursuance of the recommendations of the 13-member committee.

    CHANDIGARH: The working committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal on Friday authorised party president Sukhbir Singh Badal to take steps to strengthen the outfit and maintain inner-party discipline.

    The development comes in the backdrop of rumblings for a change in the leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal.

    On Thursday, a SAD statement had said a conspiracy is afoot to destabilise regional parties, asking party leaders to desist from questioning Badal’s authority or face disciplinary action.

    Badal on Friday addressed two marathon meetings of constituency incharges and the working committee separately during which SAD leaders asserted that anyone breaching party discipline should be dealt with sternly, a statement said.

    The senior leadership also expressed complete faith in Sukhbir Badal’s leadership and asserted that “he was the best person to lead the party at this juncture”, the party claimed in the statement.

    SAD leaders also gave concrete suggestions to strengthen the party, it said.

    Badal assured the party leaders that all suggestions will be taken into account and the party will never compromise on its principles.

    “All views which are aimed at strengthening the party will be implemented,” Badal said, adding that the SAD will always work for strengthening Punjab and “Punjabiyat”.

    “We will always guard the interests of Punjabis come what may,” he added.

    Briefing party men, senior leader Balwinder Singh Bhunder said the Iqbal Singh Jhundan committee report had not called for the leadership change.

    “The committee has given 42 suggestions and they are being taken up for consideration,” he said.

    Bhunder also explained that “conspiracies are afoot” to weaken the Akali Dal because it had always stood up to guard regional aspirations.

    Last month, the SAD leadership was left red-faced after Dakha MLA Ayali went against his own party by boycotting the presidential poll, saying issues related to Punjab remain unresolved and he was not consulted by his party leadership before deciding to back NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu.

    Ayali had sought the implementation of the recommendations of the Jhundan panel and had even spoken about change in the party leadership.

    The Jhudan panel was formed to analyse the reasons for the party’s humiliating defeat in the Punjab assembly polls.

    On July 28, Badal had dissolved the entire organisational structure of the party in pursuance of the recommendations of the 13-member committee.

  • Punjab: Sukhbir Badal should step down as party chief, say SAD leaders

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH:  All’s not well in the Shiromani Akali Dal. A section of its cadre wants change in the leadership, clearly indicating that Sukhbir Singh Badal should step down as the party chief. The senior SAD leaders met on Monday in Amritsar and demanded that Sukhbir implement all the recommendations of a committee report formed in the wake of the party’s disastrous performance in the February polls.

    The committee led by Iqbal Singh Jhunda suggested change of leadership at the top level, ‘one family one MLA’ formula, two-year term for the president, and “seeking forgiveness for the mistakes committed during the party’s rule in the state from 2007 to 2017.”

    Sources said leaders met for an hour at the house of Ravikaran Singh Kahlon, son of former Speaker late Nirmal Singh Kahlon, in Amritsar and decided to approach Sukhbir Badal.

    The meeting came days after Badal dissolved all party wings for a recast. In the assembly elections, the party could win only three seats.

    A senior party leader who attended the Amritsar meeting said many of his colleagues believed that Sukhbir should step down to strengthen the party. “Most of us were of the view that the Jhunda committee report should be implemented,’’ he said.

    SAD’s legislature party leader Manpreet Singh Ayali said a delegation comprising senior leaders, Sikh intellectuals and well-wishers of the community would meet Sukhbir shortly.

    Meanwhile, Sukhbir constituted a five-member disciplinary committee led by former minister Sikandar Singh Maluka apparently in reaction to the Amritsar meeting. The party chief appealed to his leaders to raise their views only on party forums.

    These senior leaders, including former MPs Prem Singh Chandumajra and Jagmeet Singh Brar, have objected to Sukhbir forming a disciplinary committee, terming it an attempt to muzzle their voice.

    Meanwhile, Jathedar of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, Harpreet Singh has said that if SAD wants to protect its existence, it must shun lust for power and work towards spreading Sikh principles.

    Pressure on Badal to step downSAD leaders met in Amritsar and demanded that Sukhbir implement the recommendations of a committee report formed in the wake of the party’s disastrous performance in the February polls.

    The committee suggested change of leadership at the top level, among other steps.

    CHANDIGARH:  All’s not well in the Shiromani Akali Dal. A section of its cadre wants change in the leadership, clearly indicating that Sukhbir Singh Badal should step down as the party chief. The senior SAD leaders met on Monday in Amritsar and demanded that Sukhbir implement all the recommendations of a committee report formed in the wake of the party’s disastrous performance in the February polls.

    The committee led by Iqbal Singh Jhunda suggested change of leadership at the top level, ‘one family one MLA’ formula, two-year term for the president, and “seeking forgiveness for the mistakes committed during the party’s rule in the state from 2007 to 2017.”

    Sources said leaders met for an hour at the house of Ravikaran Singh Kahlon, son of former Speaker late Nirmal Singh Kahlon, in Amritsar and decided to approach Sukhbir Badal.

    The meeting came days after Badal dissolved all party wings for a recast. In the assembly elections, the party could win only three seats.

    A senior party leader who attended the Amritsar meeting said many of his colleagues believed that Sukhbir should step down to strengthen the party. “Most of us were of the view that the Jhunda committee report should be implemented,’’ he said.

    SAD’s legislature party leader Manpreet Singh Ayali said a delegation comprising senior leaders, Sikh intellectuals and well-wishers of the community would meet Sukhbir shortly.

    Meanwhile, Sukhbir constituted a five-member disciplinary committee led by former minister Sikandar Singh Maluka apparently in reaction to the Amritsar meeting. The party chief appealed to his leaders to raise their views only on party forums.

    These senior leaders, including former MPs Prem Singh Chandumajra and Jagmeet Singh Brar, have objected to Sukhbir forming a disciplinary committee, terming it an attempt to muzzle their voice.

    Meanwhile, Jathedar of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, Harpreet Singh has said that if SAD wants to protect its existence, it must shun lust for power and work towards spreading Sikh principles.

    Pressure on Badal to step down
    SAD leaders met in Amritsar and demanded that Sukhbir implement the recommendations of a committee report formed in the wake of the party’s disastrous performance in the February polls.

    The committee suggested change of leadership at the top level, among other steps.

  • Akali Dal chief Badal demands CBI probe into Patiala violence, seeks release of Sikh prisoners

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Patiala violence besides appealing to all panthic organisations to unite on a common platform to create a movement to ensure the release of ‘bandi-Sikhs’ (Sikh prisoners) who have been languishing in jail even after expiry of their life sentences.

    SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal expressed grave concern at the manner in which attempts were being made to vitiate communal harmony through irresponsible statements by AAP leaders. He said immediately after the flare-up in Patiala, AAP MP Raghav Chadha claimed that it was the result of a clash between the BJP and the SAD. “The same statement was corroborated by Kejriwal and later by the Chief Minister. This has undermined the authority of the Chief Minister and makes it clear that the Punjab government is being run from Delhi.”

    Demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, Badal said the truth was that the Chief Minister had been informed about efforts to spoil the peace in the state four days in advance but did not act on it. He said even after the clashdespite the fact that Shiv Sena leader Harish Singla was identified as the main conspirator by his own party as well as Hindu organisations, the government declared Baljinder Singh Parwana as the chief conspirator. Terming this adventurism a dangerous trend,  Badal said the AAP should not try to inflame communal sentiments in Punjab and the Chief Minister should ensure the rule of law is maintained in the state. He also reaffirmed that the SAD would continue to do its utmost for the cause of peace and communal harmony in the state.

    Badal appealed to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami to take the lead and call a meeting of panthic organizations to devise a joint strategy to fulfill the demand of Punjabis worldwide to free the Sikh prisoners on humanitarian grounds. “We may have individual and political differences, but let us shed them aside for the cause of the bandi-Sikhs,” he said in an impassioned appeal here.

    Asserting that the coordinated approach would be adopted in consultation with all panthic organizations and parties as well as Singh Sabhas and the Sant Samaj,  Badal when questioned said this could include leading a delegation to the Prime Minister to ensure the speedy release of the Sikh prisoners. He also thanked Akal Takth Jathedar (High Priest) Giani Harpreet Singh for taking the lead in this direction by setting the tone for panthic unity on this crucial issue which concerned the sentiments of Sikhs worldwide.

    Asserting that the release of the ‘bandi-Sikhs’ was a long pending issue and that the entire Khalsa panth as well as Punjabis in general were pained at the delay being shown in releasing them, Badal said it was most unfortunate that the release was not taking place despite a national commitment made by the Union government in this regard by approving the release of Sikh prisoners on the occasion of the 550th Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak Dev in October 2019. He said around fifty Sikh prisoners were incarcerated in various jails across the country and they should all be released immediately.

    Badal said the way had also been cleared for the release of Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana whose death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by the Union government in 2019 even as the Supreme Court had commuted Prof Bhullar’s death sentence to life on the grounds of inordinate delay in deciding his mercy petition. He said it was unfortunate that Bhai Rajoana was not being released even while the Supreme Court had directed the central government to take a decision on his mercy petition. “Similarly the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of Delhi is blocking the release of Prof Bhullar with the government’s Sentence Review Board not taking a decision in the matter. AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann owe an explanation on this count to the Sikh community,” he added.

    Badal also detailed how the SAD had always taken the lead by relentlessly advocating the cause of the release of the Sikh prisoners. “Former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal not only expressed his strong resistance against the judicial orders to hang Bhai Rajoana but even refused to carry out these orders.” He said the SAD had also submitted a resolution to the Union government to request for commuting Bhai Rajoana’s death sentence to life term and later for his release.

  • Kejriwal has no right to ask for votes in Punjab: Sukhbir Badal lashes out at AAP chief

    By PTI

    SUJANPUR: SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday said AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal has no right to ask for votes in Punjab as he did not visit the state for a major period of the past five years.

    He even did not come during the Covid pandemic, Badal said addressing a public gathering in favour of his party’s Sujanpur candidate Raj Kumar Gupta.

    Asserting that Kejriwal was trying to “deceive Punjabis yet again”, Badal said, “You have already suffered by trusting the false oaths taken by former chief minister Amarinder Singh. Now, a party of outsiders is trying to sway you by asking you to give it one chance.”

    “I ask AAP why Punjabis should trust AAP. Its convener came to Punjab five years back and his party even won 20 seats to emerge as the principal opposition party in the state. However, instead of raising the voice of people, 11 of its 20 legislators joined the Congress,” he said.

    Badal said Kejriwal “ditched” Punjabis like Amarinder Singh, according to a party statement.

    “The AAP leader did not even come to Punjab more than once a year before the start of the election process. He did not care to send any medicines to Punjab as chief minister of Delhi. He did not even visit the state during the Covid pandemic. How can you trust him to stand by you in case you give him a chance and elect AAP to power,” Badal asked.

    Urging Punjabis to reject outsiders, the SAD president said the SAD-BSP alliance alone represented the regional aspirations of people.

    He said Punjabis across the country and even the world looked up to the SAD to resolve their grievances.

    “We have successfully resolved problems being faced by Punjabis across the world,” he said.

    Badal said erstwhile SAD-led governments had a time-tested track record.

    “We made Punjab power surplus. We are also responsible for bringing in world-class road and air connectivity to Punjab. We introduced unique initiatives like free power to farmers which is not being offered to farmers anywhere else in the country,” he said.

    “We also brought in social welfare schemes like old-age pension, ‘atta-daal’ and Shagun Schemes, which have helped weaker sections of society to stand up on their feet,” he said.

  • Badal’s own tractors, Sukhbir has horses and weapons

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: Both former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal own only tractors and no cars. 

    As per the affidavit, Sukhbirl has horses worth Rs 95.82 lakh, two weapons valued at Rs 3 lakh and immovable properties worth Rs 52.95 crore were part of the total assets of Rs 122.77 crore. The 59-year-old Sukhbir Singh Badal has two tractors (Tractor Tafe, Model 1999 and tractor Holland 5500) worth Rs 2.38 lakh in his name and gold jewellery worth Rs 9 lakh, his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal has gold jewellery worth Rs 7.24 crore. While she also has one weapon worth Rs 1.25 lakh and paintings worth Rs 3.40 lakh.

    Among his immovable properties, Sukhbir owns agricultural, non-agricultural land and commercial properties in Muktsar, Sirsa (Haryana), Ganganagar (Rajasthan), Ludhiana and Jalandhar. He has a 2,225 square yards residential house in Sector 9 of Chandigarh with a market value of Rs 23.72 crore. His liabilities including bank loans etc are worth Rs 37.62 crore.

    Also, former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal father of Sukhbir Badal who filed his nomination papers from Lambi has one tractor only. He has shown assets worth Rs 15.11 crore of these Rs 2.71 crore liabilities and Rs 8.40 crore moveable assets and Rs 6.71 crore immovable. While last time his assets were Rs 14.48 crore.

    The 94-year-old Badal filed his nomination from his home turf of Lambi and thus he became the oldest candidate in the electoral fray in the country, as this is his thirteenth assembly election. Badal was the youngest sarpanch when he got elected from Badal village in 1947 and in 1970 he became the youngest Chief Minister and in 2012 he became the oldest CM.

    While Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi filed his nomination papers from the Bhadaur (SC) seat, after filing his nomination papers, Channi said, “I have come with a mission in Malwa (region),” he said, adding that this area is backward in terms of development. Also, former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh filed his nomination from Patiala (Urban).

  • Will quit politics if Channi government gives any proof against Majithia: Sukhbir Badal

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday said he will quit politics if the Charanjit Singh Channi government brings any proof against his brother-in-law and Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia who has been booked in an NDPS case.

    Calling the case against Majithia as “false and highly politicised”, Badal warned that everyone responsible for implicating “an innocent” person in a “false” case will have to face consequences.

    Badal’s remarks came a day after the Punjab and Haryana High court dismissed Majithia’s anticipatory bail plea in the NDPS case.

    The high court, however, has granted three-day protection to Majithia from arrest to enable him to move the Supreme Court to challenge its order.

    “As president of @Akali_Dal, I declare that I’ll quit politics if this govt can produce any proof against @bsmajithia on this false & highly politicised case against him.

    Conversely, everyone responsible for implicating an innocent in a false case will have to face consequences,” Shiromani Akali Dal chief Badal said in a tweet.

    In another tweet, he added that the party will fight for every worker who had been booked in “false” cases.

    “We will fight for every @Akali_Dal @bspindia worker booked in false cases in the ongoing vendetta politics of @CHARANJITCHANNI govt.

    The next SAD-BSP govt will constitute a judicial commission to investigate all the false cases and recommend action against those behind these,” he said.

    Majithia, 46, who was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act last month, had moved the high court seeking anticipatory bail.

    His anticipatory bail plea was rejected by a Mohali court on December 24.

    Majithia is the brother-in-law of Sukhbir Singh Badal and the brother of former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

    The former Punjab minister was booked under the NDPS Act on the basis of a 2018 report of a probe into a drug racket operating in the state.

    The report was filed by anti-drug special task force (STF) chief Harpreet Singh Sidhu in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2018.

  • Making Bhagwant Mann CM face reflects AAP’s ‘bankruptcy’, says Sukhbir Badal

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday said making Bhagwant Mann as the chief ministerial face reflected the “complete bankruptcy” of the Aam Aadmi Party.

    The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader also called Mann as a “dummy face”, alleging that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal would be the “real face” of the AAP in the state.

    Badal was reacting to the announcement of AAP declaring Mann as the chief ministerial face for the February 20 Assembly polls.

    Earlier in the day, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal had announced the results of the party’s “Janta Chunegi Apna CM” drive, in which it had asked the people of Punjab who should be its choice for the top post.

    On the other hand, Punjab Minister and Congress leader Raj Kumar Verma dubbed the AAP’s exercise to pick up its CM face as farce, saying people of Punjab won’t be befooled with this as they have already made up their mind to bring back the Congress to power.

    Badal, meanwhile, said the AAP has fallen back on “compromised” candidate Bhagwant Mann as no one was ready to lead the party in Punjab.

    Terming the nomination of Mann as “a stage managed non-event”, the SAD president said Kejriwal never wanted to make him the face of the party in Punjab.

    “He has been saying so at Mann’s face while asserting that the party was looking for a capable candidate. It is also a fact that AAP sounded off a number of prospective candidates but each and every one of them refused to lead the party. This is why the responsibility has been thrust on Bhagwant after a make believe survey,” said Badal in a statement here.

    He said making Mann the face of the party reflected the “complete bankruptcy” of the AAP.

    Badal said, “A desperate public relation exercise is underway to wash away Mann’s omissions and commissions and project him as a leader who can take on the mantle of chief minister even though his wayward and irresponsible conduct is well known to each and everyone.”

    Badal said Kejriwal cannot take Punjabis to be so “naive” as to approve his “rubber stamped” candidate.

    “They need strong and decisive leadership as well as a leader with a proven track record of conducting swift development as well as ensuring law and order and peace and communal harmony in this border state. Bhagwant Mann does not fit this bill,” said Badal.

    Later, Badal said in a tweet, “AAP’s newly nominated CM face @BhagwantMann is a dummy. AAP is running its campaign on ‘ek mauka Kejriwal nu’. Will it now uproot boards put up across Pb, changing it to ‘ek mauka Bhagwant Mann nu’? Obviously not. @ArvindKejriwal continues to be the real face of AAP in Punjab.”

    Meanwhile, BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh slammed AAP for choosing Mann and recalled how the AAP Punjab unit chief was castigated in the Lok Sabha for his “inebriated” behaviour and how some of the Lok Sabha members had complained against him.

    “But AAP does not care for it all and by engineering so-called people’s vote through social media has paved the way for a tarnished leader to become the chief minister face,” Chugh said.

    It has sent serious signals to Punjab as to how AAP would be governing if at all it comes to power, he said in the statement.

  • SAD has firm alliance with BSP, will not join hands with BJP: Sukhbir Badal

    By PTI

    HOSHIARPUR: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Tuesday said his party has a firm alliance with the BSP and it will not join hands with former partner BJP.

    The SAD’s future lies with the BSP, he said while talking to reporters at Chabbewal, about 36 km from here.

    “We have a firm alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP),” he said while replying to a question and asserted that the SAD will not join hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

    The old alliance between the BJP and the SAD broke last year when the Shiromani Akali Dal quit the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over the farm laws.

    The elections for the 117-member Punjab Assembly are expected to witness a multi-cornered contest among the ruling Congress, the SAD-BSP alliance, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP.

    When asked to comment on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal making promises for various sections of the society ahead of Punjab polls, Badal said the AAP chief should implement these in Delhi first.

    “First, he should give permanent jobs to teachers, who were on contract there, and then give guarantee of permanent jobs to them in Punjab.

    By giving false guarantees, Kejriwal cannot befool the people of the state,” he said.

    He alleged that former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh did not fulfill promises made to the people of the state before the last assembly elections and now present Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi was making tall promises.

    Badal alleged that both Kejriwal and Channi were lying to the people of state and making false promises.

    “Kejriwal must prove his sincerity by first implementing the promises he’s making in Punjab in his own state, otherwise, Punjabis will not believe him.

    Why has he not given an allowance to women, 300 units of free power and also regularised jobs in Delhi,” he questioned.

    Meanwhile, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday asserted that the BJP will form the next government in Punjab and said the astute voter understands that other parties have miserably failed and now in a desperate attempt trying to woo people by announcing freebies.

    These parties have exposed themselves and will be routed in the 2022 assembly elections, Shekhawat, who is BJP’s in-charge for the Punjab polls, told a party meeting here.

    “The year 2022 will see the BJP forming the next government in the state as the astute voter of Punjab understands that opposition parties have failed miserably and are now in a desperate attempt trying to woo the public by mere announcements of doling out freebies,” he said.

    “Work and only work translates into electoral victory,” Shekhawat said.

    Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi for being a statesman and a true keeper of democracy, he pointed that the three farm laws were for the benefit of the agriculture sector but a certain segment could not understand the economic viability.

    In keeping with the true spirit of democracy, the prime minister went ahead and announced repealing of the laws, Shekhawat said.

    Modi on Friday announced repeal of the three agri laws that triggered a year of protests by farmers.

    Interacting with reporters after the meeting, Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma said the ruling Congress in Punjab cannot wipe out its “total apathy of governance by merely changing the chief minister”.

    “A desperate attempt to mislead the public has been orchestrated, but that won’t work,” he said.

    On the farm laws issue, Sharma said, “Our prime minister is not just an eminent politician but a true statesman and he has demonstrated his sagacity by taking this decision.”

    “The farm laws were to benefit the agriculture sector but regrettably a segment of farmers was not convinced. Regrettably opposition parties are still misleading the agitating farmers and the agitation has not yet been withdrawn, which is very unfortunate,” he said.

    Hitting out at Congress, he said, “It is on record that Congress in Punjab had promised that farmers loans will be waived but till date how many farmers have been bailed out by this Congress government? Farmers are still committing suicides”.

    The Congress will be routed in next elections in Punjab, Sharma claimed.