Shiromani Akali Dal wins DSGMC elections

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) led by Ferozepur MP Sukhbir Singh Badal has registered a clear majority by winning 27 seats out of the total 46 in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) election held on Sunday. The victory has given a boost to the SAD ahead of the next year's Punjab assembly polls

New Delhi: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) led by Ferozepur MP Sukhbir Singh Badal has registered a clear majority by winning 27 seats out of the total 46 in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) election held on Sunday, results of which were announced on Wednesday. The victory has given a boost to the SAD ahead of the next year's Punjab assembly polls in which the party would aim to dislodge the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government.

Incumbent DSGMC president Manjinder Singh Sirsa of SAD has, however, lost the election by over 500 votes to Harvinder Singh Sarna of SAD-Delhi. He had contested from the Punjabi Bagh ward. Despite the defeat, Sirsa flashed the victory sign to the media while exiting the counting centre at Aryabhatt Institute of Technology on Wednesday afternoon. He said "the people have once again given us a chance to serve".

"By making us win 27 out of 46 seats, the Sangat of Delhi has given us great pride. This victory belongs to the entire Sangat of Delhi, we bow our heads at the feet of the Sangat of Delhi and thank them for giving this honour to the Shiromani Akali Dal," he wrote in a social media post. The SAD's rival group and the main opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi) has secured 14 seats in the election. One seat each has gone to the Independent candidate and Panthic Akali Lehar. Jag Aasra Guru Ott (JAGO) party has won three seats.

"Punjabi Bagh had highest turnout with 54 per cent," said Narinder Singh, director of Gurdwara elections. Sirsa said that the results will will give a boost to party campaign in Punjab as it shows with which have support of Sikhs. The DSGMC, which goes to polls every four years, controls Sikh shrines in the national capital along with various academic institutions and hospitals. It comprises 46 members elected from as many wards and the rest are appointed from different holy Sikh shrines. A total of 312 candidates, including 132 independents, were in the fray this year. The election is being conducted by the Delhi government's directorate of Gurdwara elections.

IANS