Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was declared 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht, has resigned as president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), according to senior party leader Daljit Singh Cheema.
His resignation opens the door for the next party chief to be elected.
According to Cheema, Badal resigned and sent his resignation to the party's working committee.
“The SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal submitted his resignation to the working Committee of the party today to pave the way for the election of new President. He thanked all the party leaders & workers for expressing confidence in his leadership and extending wholehearted support & cooperation throughout the tenure,” said Cheema in a post on X.
Badal resigned days after he pleaded with the Akal Takht Jathedar to punish him for the charges of religious misconduct, claiming that over two months had gone by since he was found "tankhaiya" (guilty of religious misconduct).
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh pronounced Badal "tankhaiya" on August 30 for "mistakes" made by the SAD and its government between 2007 and 2017.
Badal has not yet received "tankhah," or religious punishment, from the jathedar.
The SAD declared on October 24 that it would not run in the by-elections after Badal was unable to obtain any short-term respite from the Akal Takht.
On July 1, rebel SAD leaders, including former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra and ex-Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Bibi Jagir Kaur, appeared before the Akal Takht and sought forgiveness for the "mistakes" committed by the party's government between 2007 and 2017.
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