Chandigarh, Sep 4, 2014: The president of Punjab’s ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), Sukhbir Singh Badal, has recently released new list of party office-bearers. To further expand the party base, he has increased the number of district units by creating new units in urban areas.
Earlier, the party’s urban district units were confined to big cities such as Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana. He has now set up urban units in smaller districts such as Mansa, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur and Ropar. Three units have been created of Ludhiana (Urban) alone.
Further demonstrating their disdain for the Sikh Panth, Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), has now included the name of Izhar Alam, Fake encounter specialist and Founder of the infamous Black-cat groups in Punjab, as vice president of the Badal Dal. Izhar Alam, a former top-cop of Punjab, had formed a personal army called Alam Sena, which indulged in mass level atrocities on the people of Punjab while posing as Sikh militants. The Alam Sena comprised groups of criminals known as “black cats” of Punjab police.
He has appointed a significant number of Hindu leaders as office-bearers to make the SAD an all- inclusive organisation and not just a party of the Sikhs. During the last Assembly elections, the SAD had given the ticket to a good number of Hindus. Many of them were elected MLAs.
Most of the newly created urban units will be headed by Hindu leaders. Ahsok Aneja will head Fazilka (Urban), Navneet Khuara Ferozepur( Urban) and Shubash Ohri Gurdaspur (Urban). Mandan Lal Bagga will head the Ludhiana( Urban) district unit and Prem Kumar Kabaria Mansa (Urban).
Sukhbir has adjusted almost all senior leaders. Bibi Jagir Kaur is president of the Women Akali Dal replacing Paramjit Kaur Gulshan. Bikram Singh Majithia, who headed the Youth Akali Dal (YAD), has been made party general secretary.
The YAD will have four units-two in Malwa and one each in Majha and Doaba regions. To coordinate the activities of four units, will be a coordinator. The post of YAD president has been abolished. The YAD office-bearers, members of the political affairs committee, executive committee and general council will be announced soon. Political advisers too would be appointed.
In Haryana, Sharanjit Singh Sotha have been made state unit president. Manjit Singh GK has been made president of the Delhi state unit. In Chandigarh, Jagjit Singh Kang will continue to head the party organisation. The latter is brother of Congress leader Jagmohan Singh Kang. Hira Singh Gabria, Dr Rattan Singh Ajnala and others, who earlier headed district units, have been elevated to higher positions. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa will continue as party secretary general.