Punjab: Shiromani Akali Dal will not contest the Nov 13 bypolls

Chandigarh, Oct 24 (PTI) The Shiromani Akali Dal on Thursday decided not to contest the November 13 bypolls to four assembly seats in Punjab.

The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the SAD's working committee and the party's district presidents here.

The move came a day after SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal failed to get any temporary relief from the Akal Takht -- which has declared him 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) -- for the "mistakes" committed by his party and government from 2007 to 2017.

The bypolls to the four assembly seats -- Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal and Barnala -- will take place on November 13.

These bypolls were necessitated after the MLAs representing the seats were elected to the Lok Sabha.

"We have decided that we will keep ourselves out of the bypolls to four assembly seats, considering the 'Panthic' interests and maintaining the dignity and respect of the 'panthic institutions," senior party leader Daljit Singh Cheema told reporters here.

He said a resolution was unanimously passed at the meeting in this regard.

A delegation of the SAD, which met the Jatehdar on Tuesday, had urged him to exempt Sukhbir for leading the party's poll campaign for the November 13 bypolls to four assembly segments in Punjab.

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh on Wednesday had said that a 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) remains one until religious punishment is awarded.

The Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, on August 30 had declared Sukhbir Badal 'tankhaiya' -- guilty of religious misconduct -- for the "mistakes" committed by his party and its government from 2007 to 2017. PTI