Jalandhar(Parteek Singh): Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal today announced seven more names of district presidents raising the organisational structure of party. Former executive member of SGPC (Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee), Kulwant Singh Mannan was appointed as district president of Shiromani Akali Dal, Jalandhar (Urban). Four-time consecutive urban president Charanjit Singh Channi was replaced by Mannan as result of opposing SAD Jalandhar Cantt candidate during assembly elections. There were already fissures within the party over the appointment of SAD urban president.
Senior Akali leader Sarabjit Singh Makkar, who contested assembly election 2017 from the high-stakes Jalandhar Cantonment constituency, was opposing the candidature of sitting SAD Jalandhar Urban president Channi. During assembly elections Channi has openly opposed the candidature of Makkar and refused to campaign in his favour. He was continuously staying away from the party functions from last one year and even gave miss to the party functions where party president Sukhbir Badal visited.
It was an open secret then that Channi too was eyeing the Jalandhar Cantonment seat, but the party zeroed in on the name of Makkar. Though SAD senior leadership tried to intervene in the matter but Channi remained adamant on his stand claiming that Makkar’s public image was itself a dent in seeking votes in public, hence the defiance. Akali dal was seeking for a Jatt Sikh face and Mannan’s association with SGPC they found it as an advantage said source. Makkar strongly opposed the former president and blamed him for his defeat in assembly elections. He said that Channi not only opposed him but also defied party’s directive during elections, hence his defeat.
Apart from them former Improvement Trust Jalandhar president Baljeet Singh Neelamahal and former Senior Deputy Mayor Kamaljit Singh Bhatia were also in the race for the post.