Analysis of SAD(B) leader Bibi Jagir Kaur's rebellion against Sukhbir Badal ahead of SGPC elections

Defiance shown by senior SAD(B) leader and former Cabinet Minister Bibi Jagir Kaur ahead of the elections of the new president of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has put the party honchos in a piquant situation resulting in the issuance of show cause notice to Kaur and announcement of the name of SAD(B) candidates for the SGPC presidential elections days before November 9 -  the D Day.

Jagir Kaur vs Sukhbir Badal

In a run-up to the elections for the new president of the SGPC which is one of the largest representative bodies of Sikhs, not just the majority SAD(B) camp and the opposition members have intensified their internal campaigning but Bibi Jagir Kaur, once a close aide of SAD (B) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has begun independent  ‘lobbying’ for the top post which irked Sukhbir Badal.

Political analysts here are of the view that Bibi’s ‘non-compliance’ to party dictates is considered a challenge to Sukhbir’s throne especially given his opposition within the party which is striving to stay afloat in Punjab.

Faith in Sukhbir Badal's leadership

After taking over the reins of SAD(B), Sukhbir Singh Badal has not been successful in winning the trust of the majority of the senior Akali leaders but being the heir of Parkash Singh Badal he has enjoyed enough fruits of the dynastic politics, and now questions are being asked on his ability to hold the party together.

Apparently alarmed with Bibi Jagir Kaur’s ‘rebellion’, the SAD(B)  spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema announced to field Harjinder Singh Dhami's name as many as five days before the SGPC’s presidential elections against the prevalent practice of declaring the name of its candidates minutes before the elections through a ‘lifafa’ (envelope).

Vetting the presidential candidate by the SGPC members before voting to elect their president has rarely been a practice since both the SGPC’s general as well as presidential elections are full of smear campaigns with the majority of members devoid of any ideology so they resort to stoking religious fervour to get votes. "And this is happening again, nobody has asked how successful Dhami has been in running the affairs of SGPC and what is his vision ahead," said sources.

Now, Bibi Jagir Kaur has announced to contest the SGPC’s presidential elections with or without SAD(B) support, many of the opposition groups even the one led by Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa who left the SAD(B) to form SAD(Samyukta) have announced to support Bibi Jagir Kaur. Similarly, other Sikh groups having considerable influence on some SGPC members have indicated supporting Bibi Jagir Kaur.

It is dubbed that Delhi-based Sikh leader  Manjinder Singh Sirsa, a formerly trusted loyalist of Sukhbir Singh turned BJP leader, has been playing a key role behind the curtain to weaken the SAD(B) in Punjab by strengthening the BJP which was once the alliance partner of SAD(B).

However denying such reports, Sirsa said “we have no role in SGPC’s elections, these are all rumours”.

SGPC president Dhami has openly stated that  Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and BJP  were making mischievous attempts to take control of SGPC, the representative organisation of Sikhs.

“Majority of Akalis believe that they have given enough reverence to the Badal family but Sukhbir Badal hasn’t come up to their or Panth’s expectations and now they favour doing away with the hereditary politics and want to see a new but seasoned face at the helm of the affairs of the party and there wouldn’t be a surprise if Bibi Jagir Kaur becomes the next choice,” said sources.

Rumours abound that Bibi Jagir Kaur enjoys the support of around 48 SGPC members and in event of the elections, if around 22  opposition members also favours Kaur she could pose a ‘real’ challenge to the SAD(B) candidate.

Secretary, SGPC, Partap Singh has extended an invitation to 157 SGPC members to attend the General House session slated for November 9 to elect the new president and other office bearers of the  SGPC. Twenty-six SGPC members have expired since the election of the last house while two have resigned. The invitations have also been sent to the five Jahtedars of Takht’s and Head Granthi of Golden Temple.