Chandigarh: In the wake of rising discontent within party ranks, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal carried out a reorganization of the party's highest decision-making body recently.
According to sources, Badal dissolved the previous 23-member core committee and announced a new panel last Sunday. Several senior leaders continue to feature prominently in the restructured core committee, including Harjinder Singh Dhami, Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Naresh Gujral and Daljit Singh Cheema.
The move comes days after a section of dissenting Akali leaders launched the “Shiromani Akali Dal Sudhar Lehar” or Reform Movement, demanding a leadership change at the top. Rebel leaders such as former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, ex-SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur and others have been vocal in their criticism of the party's electoral performances of late.
With SAD struggling in recent polls including the 2022 state assembly and 2019 national elections, rebels argue urgent reforms are needed to arrest the slumping vote share. They have established a separate 13-member panel to spearhead the reform initiative outside of party hierarchy.
While Sukhbir Badal's rejig aims to quell internal dissent, it remains to be seen if dissatisfied leaders will abandon calls for new leadership at the helm. The Shiromani Akali Dal's political graph has seen a downward trend since 2017, underscoring the severity of the challenges confronting the current party president.
