After suffering a humiliating defeat in the recent state assembly elections, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has announced establishing a new organizational structure from bottom to top through an electoral system. The changes, to be overseen by a newly-constituted Central Election Body, are aimed to boost the SAD and give impetus to the youth, women, and other sections of the society. Badal also said that changes would be effected by the top decision-making core committee.
He said that the party will follow the principle of “one family one ticket” during the elections, while ensuring that half of its contestants are below the age of 50. He said 50 per cent of seats in the forthcoming assembly elections will be reserved for party workers who were below the age of 50 years.
From now on, the chairmanships of boards at the state and district levels would be given to party workers. Family members of MPs and MLAs would not be considered for these posts. Besides this, district presidents would also not contest the election. The party’s aim is to give maximum opportunity to workers to groom them for the future.
The decision for the new organizational changes was taken after consultation with party workers, leaders, and intellectuals. The reorganisation will be completed by November 30 through party elections under the supervision of the new Central Election Body. A total of 117 observers would be appointed to oversee the entire exercise and focus would be on creation of booth committees, he added.
During the press conference, Badal said the party would stick to its fundamental principles of taking all sections of the society and people, irrespective of their religious faith. The party follows the ideals of Guru Sahiban and maintains the peace and communal harmony in the state, Badal said. The SAD has a track record of serving the poor, farmers and labourers and it would continue to rise to serve the regional aspiration of the people of Punjab, he added.
He also announced to reconstitute Youth Akali Dal (YAD) and Student Organisation of India (SOI) so that Sikh Student Federation wing is revived. The Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes would be given due representation in the party at all levels, he pointed out.
The party will constitute the parliamentary board that will examine ways and means to attract the best talents and candidates for the assembly elections.