ELECTION 99
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

Tohra, Badal back at old game

Yet another fight is on between Akali leaders Gurcharan Singh Tohra and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

The Sarb Hind Akali Dal, headed by Tohra, has, contrary to its earlier announcement, decided to contest the November 10 Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee elections for the post of president and executive members.

Tohra has ruled himself out of the contest, but said he would put up a candidate for the post of president, which he held for 25 years.

Though he refused to divulge the name of his candidate, Akali sources say Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, who had earlier put in a short stint as acting president, would be pitted against current president Bibi Jagir Kaur, who is likely to seek re-election as a Badal candidate.

Sources said the coming elections would see a keen contest between the two factions as the Badal camp has witnessed some erosion in its overwhelming support base among SGPC members. Some pro-Badal members have since crossed over to the Tohra camp, which earlier enjoyed the support of 40-45 loyalists.

On Tuesday, Tohra's party at its working committee meeting in Jalandhar had decided not to contest since it did not have the requisite support among members. The change of mind comes in the wake of certain feelers from some pro-Badal members who are likely to oppose Bibi Jagir Kaur, sources said.

Chief Minister Badal, who commands a majority in the 170-member SGPC, had managed to expel Tohra from presidency last year, after he fell out with the latter over the role of Akal Takht chief Ranjit Singh.

During the struggle for supremacy in Akali politics, the pro-Badal SGPC members also removed Bhai Ranjit Singh, who enjoyed Tohra's support and replaced him with Bhai Puran Singh.

The fight between the two stalwarts had snowballed into a spilt in the ruling Akali Dal, with Tohra floating a parallel outfit.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report