Jasvinder Singh of The World Sikh News Delhi desk files this comprehensive report on the just concluded Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management elections, generally held once every four years.

Amidst many smiling and a few numb faces, the DSGMC elections concluded with 35 of the 46 constituencies returning the incumbent Manjit Singh GK-led Badal Dal back into the saddle for another four years, with the opposition barely making a dent into the deeply entrenched support structure of those running the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara affairs.

Populist promises like those made in general elections allured voters to the ruling party and how many of these promises will be delivered will be interesting to watch. Manjit Singh GK attributes victory to his party and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal sees it as a rejection of AAP and Congress.

Invariably like all DSGMC elections, a pinching point was low voter turnout, seriously undermining the political strength of Sikhs in Delhi. Though with a little over 45%, it was higher than 42 % in the last polls. Out of 3.8 lakh only 1.75 lakh voters cast their franchise for 335 candidates who contested this time, a much larger number than previous times. The low voter turnout is certainly not a very good sign, and calls for brainstorming. You get what you deserve!

A well-orchestrated campaign, mostly in the Hindi language, hugely supported by Punjab-based PTC TV, professional presentation of “good deeds and sewa”, the strategy to keep the Dera-tainted Badal leadership at bay and a disjointed opposition, enabled the Shiromani Akali Dal to retain its position.

Many expected a different scenario. What went wrong? Why was there no anti-incumbency? Well, the ruling elite presented a thorough focused campaign, the opposition, as usual over the years could not get its act together. Those entrenched worked the whole year, the opposition comes to the fore a few months prior to elections and cannot even join hands to make a viable alternative.

New entrants -Panthic Sewa Dal, Sikh Sadhbhavna Dal and Akal Sahai Welfare Society were able to bag a sizeable number of votes in most of the constituencies, where they contested. In a good number of constituencies, they were able to bag almost one third of the total number of votes cast, which made a huge difference but led to the opposition votes being divided and the SAD getting the advantage. The negative campaign of the Paramjit Singh Sarna-led Akali Dal Delhi did not help them at all and though they won 7 seats, Sarna himself lost to Badal Dal’s star campaigner Manjinder Singh Sirsa. The 2-seat victory of former Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh-led Akal Sahai Welfare Society is a good beginning but a far cry from Panthic expectations.

Consider this: the names of these bodies are non-political. DSGMC elections are for management of historical Gurdwaras and other Sikh institutions in Delhi, but no one should live in the illusion that these are only religious elections. They are religiopolitical elections and should be contested with this in mind. Even with months of work, the Bhai Baldev Singh Wadala-led Sikh Sadhbhavna Dal could not register itself with the Directorate of Gurdwara Elections in Delhi contesting as independents. Isn’t this a perfect combination for failure?

The new delimitation with polling stations few and far may have affected the voter turnout but certainly did not make any difference to the final results, though a detailed analysis will show more.

In the next 30 days, two members will be co-opted, two chosen by lottery from among the registered Singh Sabha Gurdwaras and one nominee from SGPC will make it a 51-member house.

10 Gurdwaras, 4 colleges, scores of schools and other institutions, a defunct hospital and a budget of 100 crores await proper management and infusion of a Sikhi spirit. Is the “Panth” still the Badal Dal? Will the Badal Dal seek Sewa over Nawabi like Nawab Kapur Singh? Will the Sikh sangat be vigilant and hold a mirror to the promises made during the elections? Time will tell.