Akali Dal to Contest Civic Polls on Party Symbol, Slams AAP Government
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) announced it will contest upcoming elections for 102 Nagar Councils and nine Municipal Corporations under its own party symbol. This decision was finalized during a meeting of party officials presided over by President Sukhbir Singh Badal. The gathering also addressed several critical political and social issues in Punjab. SAD leaders strongly criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's new anti-sacrilege law, arguing that it unfairly targets granthis and gurdwara committees rather than focusing solely on perpetrators. Additionally, the party condemned the deteriorating law and order situation, citing recent bomb blasts near security headquarters in Jalandhar and Amritsar. Senior leader Daljit Singh Cheema accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of shifting blame without proof and engaging in corruption, specifically alleging involvement of top AAP figures in financial scandals. The SAD also authorized the appointment of Block Level Officers to assist with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Badal described the Chief Minister's recent public outreach as a distraction from deep-seated corruption and highlighted heavy police deployment as a sign of the administration's fear of public dissent.
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Akali Dal to Contest Civic Polls on Party Symbol, Slams AAP Government
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) announced it will contest upcoming elections for 102 Nagar Councils and nine Municipal Corporations under its own party symbol. This decision was finalized during a meeting of party officials presided over by President Sukhbir Singh Badal. The gathering also addressed several critical political and social issues in Punjab. SAD leaders strongly criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's new anti-sacrilege law, arguing that it unfairly targets granthis and gurdwara committees rather than focusing solely on perpetrators. Additionally, the party condemned the deteriorating law and order situation, citing recent bomb blasts near security headquarters in Jalandhar and Amritsar. Senior leader Daljit Singh Cheema accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of shifting blame without proof and engaging in corruption, specifically alleging involvement of top AAP figures in financial scandals. The SAD also authorized the appointment of Block Level Officers to assist with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Badal described the Chief Minister's recent public outreach as a distraction from deep-seated corruption and highlighted heavy police deployment as a sign of the administration's fear of public dissent.
The Indian Express