by Dharmendra Rataul
With the date set for the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) election, the political scene in the state has started heating up. The race has begun to wrest control of the SGPC - considered the mini-Parliament of the Sikhs. The SGPC elections also assume significance this time as these will set the tone for the assembly elections in Punjab scheduled for February 2011.
Hectic parleys have already begun to forge an alliance to take on the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal). If the political pundits are to be believed, most of the anti-Badal Akali factions are trying to form a unified force, even though till now they have been at war with each other.
There are several moderates as well as radical groups and most of these are led by major Sikh personalities. All eyes currently set on the Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi), headed by Paramjit Singh Sarna, which controls the cash-rich Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC). Sarna is a known Badal basher and has announced to to contest the SGPC polls. However, he is yet to open his cards as far as selecting partners for polls are concerned.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/people-and-opinion/36505-will-sgpc-polls-unite-war-akaali.html
At present, the SAD (B) controls the 170 member general house of the SGPC, with support of more than 150 members. The party is all set to go alone in the elections while Sarna, sources said, is in talks with moderate Akali factions including the SAD (1920) headed by Ravi Inder Singh, All India Shiromani Akali Dal (AISAD) headed by Jaswant Singh Mann, SAD (Longowal) and SAD (Panj Pardhani), apart from some support from certain radical Sikh bodies including the Dal Khalsa and the Khalsa Action Committee.
At least one major Akali faction, the SAD (Amritsar), headed by Simranjit Singh Mann, may not be able to forge an alliance with the other factions as the party is known for its ultra-radical ideology and personal grudge its leader holds against Sarna. Mann may end up contesting the SGPC polls alone.
Meanwhile, Sarna confirmed that he has held the first round of talks with certain groups. A second round of talks would be held to form a big force against Badals. However, he clarified that he would not join hands with the separatist Sikh leaders.
“No doubt the talks are on and we will be supporting an alliance that will talk of the basic Sikh issues,” said Dal Khalsa’s Kunwarpal Singh, who sees a direct fight between a joint force and the Badals.
On the other hand SAD (B) chief spokesperson and advisor to CM, Daljit Singh Cheema sees no threat to the party from any alliance. “They are a divided house and rejected by the people from time to time. The masses understand that only SAD (B) can address their issues and we will win the next elections. These splintered groups have already been written off from Punjab’s political spectrum,” said Cheema.
Sources in the parties said that problems of seat-sharing apart from ideological disorientations may pose a roadblock in the way of forging any alliance against the Badals. The Congress, which is the main Opposition party in Punjab, does not participate in the SGPC elections directly, but its leaders and cadre may work with the anti-Badal force.
Cheema added that the Congress will be supporting the alliance against them but “we are ready to fight it out.”
Meanwhile the role of All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF), which too has more than five main groups will also be crucial but they will be aligning with the respective party they have the affiliations with.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36505
The SGPC manages most gurdwaras and is involved in “dharm parchar” besides running educational institutions. In all, 157 members from 110 constituencies in Punjab, eight in Haryana and one each in Chandigarh and Himachal will be elected to the SGPC.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/wi...tions/824467/0 
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