SAD (Badal), supported by Bhartiya Janta Party, has finally bagged 37 out of 46 seats while Congress-backed Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi) claimed 8 seats against its current strength of 27 seats.
As per reports 1 seat went to Kendriya Sri Guru Singh Sabha (KSGSS), where as Dashmesh Seva Society failed to open its account in the election.
SAD (Delhi) chief Paramjit Singh Sarna lost by the highest margin of votes to SAD (Badal)’s Manjinder Singh from Punjabi Bagh.
“Sarna polled 4,552 votes whereas 9,006 votes went to Singh, the difference being 4,454 votes,” said GP Singh, Director of the directorate of Gurdwara Elections.
As per media reports Congress downplayed the result of the polls, claiming the outcome will not have any bearing on Delhi assembly polls. Sikhs have a sizable presence in Delhi.
“Congress has nothing to do with the result of the DSGMC. It is a religious body of Sikh community and our party was not directly involved in the contest. That is why the party even did not stop MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah from contesting the polls,” Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s Parliamentary Secretary Mukesh Sharma said.
BJP described the result as a “personal defeat for Dikshit and Minister In-charge of Gurudwara Affairs Arvinder Singh Lovely.”
“The downfall of Congress had started in the municipal corporation polls in 2012. Now, with the defeat of the Congress-backed group in Gurudwara polls, the party must realise what’s in store for it in the assembly polls,” Delhi BJP chief Vijender Gupta said.
It is a know fact that SAD Delhi led by Sarnas support Congress Party that is generally considered responsible for perpetuating mass violence against the Sikh in November 1984. On the other hand Badal Dal has election and ideological alliance with Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) whose “hindutva” agenda is known to every one. Besides this BJP leadership has claimed that it was the BJP that pressed then Congress president and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to order armed attack on various Sikh gurudwaras in June 1984.
In this situation, it is clear that both the parties – SAD (Delhi) and SAD (Badal) have aligned up with two different parties who have almost similar approach towards Sikhs, Sikh identity and Sikh issues.