Akali Dal accuses centre of delaying SGPC polls

CHANDIGARH - The ruling Akali Dal in Punjab Friday accused the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the centre of delaying the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) elections.

“The working committee of the party today unanimously demanded immediate conduct of the SGPC elections without any delay,” Akali Dal president and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said.

The committee blamed the UPA government “for deliberately delaying the elections to the general house of the SGPC by intentionally creating hurdles.”

Badal told reporters after the meeting that a delegation of senior Akali Dal leaders would meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh soon to seek immediate SGPC elections.

Akali Dal secretary and spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema referred to the delay as “a deep-rooted conspiracy” and an “interference of the union government in the internal affairs of the sikhs.”