Fatehgarh Sahab (Punjab), July 24: Decks were today cleared for senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Gurcharan Singh Tohra becoming president of Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak committee with his unanimous election to executive committee of the supreme body of the Sikhs.
As only a member of the executive can become the SGPC president, Sukhdev Singh Bhaur recently quit the 15-member body to pave the way for Tohra's inclusion.
His name was proposed by acting president Alwinder Pal Singh Pakhoke and seconded by Partap Singh and others.
The SGPC will hold its next meeting at Amritsar on July 27 to elect the new president, Pakhoke told reporters.
Tohra would replace Kirpal Singh Badungar who resigned, setting the stage for the SAD chief's return as head of the influential Sikh body, as part of unity formula worked out between Akali factions led by Tohra and former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.



Badal and Tohra, who remained SGPC president for 25 years, parted ways in early 1999 just before the Khalsa tercentenary celebrations.



After resigning as SGPC chief, Tohra had floated Sarb Hindi Shiromani Akali Dal.


Bureau Report