Akali Dal Expels Delhi Gurdwara Committee President Over Anti-Party Activities

Harmeet Singh Kalka has said that the DSGMC with all its members has taken a decision to float a new party in Delhi.

Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) Harmeet Singh Kalka.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@hskalka)

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday, 16 March, expelled president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) Harmeet Singh Kalka from the party over anti-party activities.

While there is no official word on his president post of the DSGMC, it is unlikely that he will continue to hold the position after his expulsion.

Meanwhile, Kalka told news agency ANI that the DSGMC with all its members has taken a decision to float a new party in Delhi to resolve the religious issues of Sikhs.

He was quoted as saying, "We faced political challenges in taking decisions while being in SAD. It's obvious that SAD will expel me... We'll make a new party on the principles of SAD, we hope that we can look into issues of Delhi's Sikhs and can take decisions freely. It's historic that being a party we have decided to remain separated from politics."

Meanwhile, former Akali Dal MLA from Bathinda, Sarup Chand Singla, resigned from the party.

While addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, SAD spokespersons Prem Singh Chandumajra announced that the Delhi unit of the party has been dissolved by party president Sukhbir Singh Badal and a new ad-hoc committee under Avtar Singh has been formed.

This comes after the recently concluded Punjab Assembly elections, in which the SAD could manage to win just three seats. Taking responsibility for his party’s terrible performance, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said, “As party president, I take the responsibility for the defeat.”

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) stormed to power in the state bagging 92 of the 117 Assembly seats under the leadership of Bhagwant Mann.

(With inputs from ANI.)