Chandigarh, Oct 24 || The Shiromani Akali Dal;s (SAD) Working Committee on Thursday decided not to contest the November 13 bypoll for the four Assembly seats in Punjab, following the debarment of its chief Sukhbir Singh Badal by the Akal Takht.
The Working Committee of the SAD, in a statement here, said it has unanimously decided not to contest forthcoming in keeping with ‘panthic’ interests and ‘maan-maryada’ of Sri Akal Takht Sahib.
This unanimous decision was taken at a meeting of the Working Committee, district presidents and constituency in-charges, which was presided over by the party’s working President Balwinder Singh Bhunder.
Briefing the media, senior leader Daljit Singh Cheema said: "At today’s meeting, there was an overwhelming feeling that party President Sukhbir Singh Badal had taken moral responsibility for all acts of omission and commission during the erstwhile SAD government on behalf of the party. It was felt by the Working Committee, district presidents and constituency in-charges that since the head of the family -- party President Sukhbir Badal -- had been forbidden by Sri Akal Takht to participate in the by-elections, they too could not participate in the exercise."
"Everyone felt they should consider themselves as part of the SAD President’s family and act accordingly."