Amritsar: Akali Dal faction led by former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on November 12 retained its hold over the powerful Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) with the re-election of Kirpal Singh Badungar as president and unopposed victory of its men to other key posts in the executive committee.

In keenly contested elections held amidst tight security in the Golden Temple Complex at Amritsar, Badungar defeated archrival G S Tohra's nominee Sant Veer Singh by a margin of 23 votes in a straight fight.

Badungar polled 91 votes against Veer Singh's 68.

On seeing the numbers not in its favour, the Tohra group, which put up Harbant Singh against Alwinder Pal Singh for the post of senior vice president, did not press for a contest.

Kewal Singh Badal and Hardalbir Singh Shah were elected unopposed junior vice president and secretary respectively. All the eleven executive committee members, including Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, were elected unopposed.

Immediately after the polling ended, Badungar demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for his interference in the religious affairs of the Sikhs while Tohra blamed Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Central governments for directly supporting Parkash Singh Badal.

The election process ended peacefully even as the city resembled a virtual police line with barricades at important intersections and police maintaining strict vigil to avoid any breach of peace.

PTI