Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal has stepped down from his position, said senior party leader Daljit Singh Cheema on Saturday.

Daljit S Cheema, former Education Minister of Punjab, said, “The SAD President S Sukhbir Singh Badal submitted his resignation to the Working Committee of the party today to pave the way for the election of a new President.”

“He thanked all the party leaders & workers for expressing confidence in his leadership and extending wholehearted support & cooperation throughout the tenure,” Cheema wrote in a post on X.

Cheema further said an emergency meeting has been called by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Working Committee President S Balwinder S Bhundar on November 18 at 12 o’ clock at party headquarters office in Chandigarh.

He said the committee will consider the resignation submitted by Badal and will decide further course of action. “It may be mentioned that elections for the post of President, Office bearers & working committee of SAD are due on Dec 14, 2024 when five year term of present house expires,” he added.

It is worth noting that Badal’s resignation came days after he urged the Akal Takht Jathedar to pronounce his punishment for religious misconduct charges, saying more than two months have passed since he was declared ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct).

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh on August 30, declared Badal ‘tankhaiya’  for “mistakes” committed by the SAD and its government from 2007 to 2017.

In July, Shiromani Akali Dal dissolved its core committee after a meeting held in Chandigarh. Party leader Daljit Singh Cheema informed on X that the core committee will be reorganised shortly.

Earlier, some leaders including Parminder Singh Dhindsa, and Bibi Jagir Kaur, among others, launched a revolt against party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, demanding change in the leadership after the party’s severe drubbing in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

Some leaders of the party held a meeting in Jalandhar seeking Badal’s resignation. However, some other leaders in the Akali Dal continue to repose faith in Badal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said he is looking forward to meaningful discussions at the upcoming G20 summit in Brazil where PM Modi will take part in a wide range of programmes, both bilateral and multilateral, which will add momentum to India’s ties with various nations.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Over the next few days, I will be in Nigeria, Brazil and Guyana. I will take part in the G20 Summit in Brazil and will meet Caribbean leaders in Guyana. I will also be interacting with the Indian community during this visit.”

The statement released by the Prime Minister Office’s said that PM Modi’s first destination will be Nigeria from where he will travel to Brazil.

“In Brazil, I will attend the 19th G-20 Summit as a troika member. Last year, India’s successful presidency elevated the G-20 to people’s G-20 and mainstreamed the priorities of the Global South into its agenda,” the Prime Minister said.

PM Modi, alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden, will participate in the summit in Rio de Janeiro on November 18 and 19.

India is part of the G20 troika, which includes Brazil and South Africa. “This year, Brazil has built upon India’s legacy. I look forward to meaningful discussions in keeping with our vision of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’. I will also use the opportunity to exchange views on furthering bilateral cooperation with several other leaders,” PM Modi stated.

During India’s presidency of the G20 last year, significant achievements included the inclusion of the 55-nation African Union as a permanent member and the successful production of a leaders’ declaration that addressed divisions over the Ukraine conflict.

On his upcoming trip to Nigeria, Modi expressed that it would be an opportunity to “build upon our strategic partnership that is based on shared belief in democracy and pluralism.”

He will visit Nigeria on November 16-17 at the invitation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, marking his first visit to the country, which plays a crucial role as a partner in West Africa.

Modi added, “I am also eagerly looking forward to meeting the Indian community and friends from Nigeria who have sent me warm welcome messages in Hindi.”

PM Modi will travel to Guyana from November 19 to 21, upon the invitation of President Mohamed Irfaan Ali. This visit will be the first by an Indian prime minister to Guyana in over 50 years.

“We will exchange views on giving strategic direction to our unique relationship, which is based on shared heritage, culture, and values,” he said.

He also mentioned his intent to honor one of the oldest Indian diasporas, which has been in Guyana for more than 185 years, and to engage with a fellow democracy during his address to their Parliament.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday slammed the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government after at least ten newborns were killed in the fire that broke out at the Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi on Friday night.

Hitting out at the BJP government, Gandhi said such tragic incidents, which happen one after another in Uttar Pradesh, raise many serious questions about the negligence of the government and the administration.

“I am deeply saddened by the news of the death and injury of several newborn children in the tragic accident at Jhansi Medical College. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families,” the Congress leader said in a post in Hindi on X.

The Rae Bareli MP demanded that the government ensure the injured children get the best treatment. “Also, this tragic incident should be investigated immediately and strict legal action should be taken against the culprits,” he said.

The Samajwadi Party chief said that is a case of negligence of medical management. “The news of 10 children dying and many children getting injured due to fire in Jhansi Medical College is extremely sad and worrying. Heartfelt condolences to everyone,” he said on X.

He noted that the cause of the fire is being said to be a fire in the ‘oxygen concentrator’. Yadav said that “this is a direct case of negligence of medical management and administration or of poor quality oxygen concentrator”.

Punitive action should be taken against all those responsible in this case, Yadav demanded.

“The Chief Minister should leave the election campaign and false claims of ‘everything being fine’ and focus on the poor condition of health and medical facilities. Only the families who have lost their children can understand the pain and suffering. This is not only a governmental responsibility but also a moral responsibility,” he slammed Yogi.

Gorakhpur should not be repeated, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said, referring to the incident where several children were killed due to a shortage of oxygen in a hospital in Yogi Adityanath’s constituency, which shocked the nation.

Yadav said the BJP government in UP should provide world-class medical facilities to all the injured children and give Rs 1 crore each as condolence money to all the bereaved families who have lost their children.

Earlier today, CM Yogi announced assistance of Rs five lakh each to parents of the newborns who died in the fire incident at Maharani Laxmibai Medical College Hospital.

The UP government also announced Rs 50,000 each to the families of the injured from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

The Chief Minister directed the Divisional Commissioner and Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of Jhansi to submit a report regarding the incident within 12 hours.

The tragic incident that has plunged the nation into mourning, occurred on Friday night in the government-run hospital. According to reports, the fire, believed to have been caused by an electrical short circuit, broke out around 10:45 PM, claiming the lives of at least 10 newborns and injured 16 others critically.