Oldest to file nomination for February 20 Punjab election from Lambi at the age of 94, five-time Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is all geared up for his 13th poll battle. The Akali patriarch, who fought his first assembly elections 65 years back, is eyeing to register the sixth win in a row from his family bastion.
The announcement of senior Badal’s candidature from his home turf, Lambi, was put on hold till the moment. Notwithstanding his growing age and health, Badal has been campaigning in his constituency, interacting with the people, going door to door, holding meetings with the party workers. However, on several occasions, he has indicated to hang his boots.
There were speculations that the senior Badal may not contest this time, and his bahu (daughter-in-law) Harsimrat Badal would fill in his place. Harsimrat, sitting Bathinda MP and former Union Minister, has been touring Lambi’s villages along with the nonagenarian.
The message was also clear. Badal had handed over the party reigns to his son, Sukhbir Singh Badal, since long. In fact, during the tenure of previous SAD-BJP government, even though Badal was the Chief Minister, Sukhbir — as Deputy Chief Minister and also Shiromani Akali Dal president — was running the show.
SAD, this time, is fighting with Sukhbir as its Chief Ministerial candidate, with the senior Badal being projected as “super CM”. After breaking ties with the BJP over controversial farm laws, SAD has this time forged an alliance with the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
“Badal itself is a big name. He has been out of action since long because of his health and also the age factor. But, his presence in the electoral field is enough to boost the party morale which had suffered a setback when it was pushed to third place during 2017 polls. So, he was not contesting to be the Chief Minister or to win, but mainly to boost the morale of the party cadre,” a senior Akali leader said, while talking with The Pioneer.
In 2017 polls, SAD was restricted to mere 15 seats, after ruling the state for over a decade — from 2007-2012 and 2012-2017. In the state’s recallable history, no party has been able to win back-to-back polls, but the SAD-BJP combine formed the second government in a row in 2012. Currently, the state’s regional party — Akali Dal — is at the lowest ever tally in its 100-year-old history.
SET FOR EFFORTLESS CONTEST
Unlike 2017, when Badal was facing his arch political rival, Capt Amarinder Singh, in his home turf, the former Chief Minister is set for a comfortable contest this time.
Badal has been winning the Lambi constituency since 1997, and this time again, he seems to be securing an easy win. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded former Congress leader Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, while Congress has nominated a greenhorn Jagpal Singh Abul Khurana, and so is the BJP-Punjab Lok Congress which has fielded another newcomer Rakesh Dhingra as its candidate from Lambi. All three opponents will be contesting their first election against a seasoned politician.
In 2017, AAP had fielded journalist-turned-politician Jarnail Singh, who gained popularity for hurling a shoe at then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram in 2009 over Congress leaders being given a clean chit in the 1984 pogrom.
Proving his might, Badal had defeated Capt Amarinder, who later became the Punjab Chief Minister, with over 24,000 votes.
EIGHT-DECADE LONG POLITICAL CAREER
Badal’s political career started in 1947 as a village sarpanch. He later became Block Samiti chairman. In 1957, he contested his first Assembly election from Malaut at the age of 29, on the Congress party’s ticket. After that, he contested all polls as SAD candidate.
From 1967 to 1985, Badal contested six elections from the Gidderbaha constituency and won five times. The only election Badal had faced defeat was in 1967 from Gidderbaha by just 57 votes against Congress’ Harcharan Singh Brar. In 1992, SAD boycotted the elections in protest against the Congress-led Central Government for not fulfilling the longstanding demands made by Sikhs. And since 1997, Badal started contesting from Lambi and has never looked back.
In 1997, Badal became the Chief Minister for the first time — also the youngest CM of Punjab at 43. After that, he remained the Chief Minister from 1970-71, 1977-80, 1997-2002, 2007-2012, and 2012-2017. Interestingly, when he took oath as the Chief Minister in 2012 for the fifth time, Badal became the oldest CM of Punjab at the age of 84.
He went on to become Chief Minister five times after the reorganization of Punjab in 1966, a record that he still holds apart from winning assembly elections again for a record 11 times. After Malout, Badal shifted his base to the nearby Gidderbaha constituency, which he won five out of six times between 1967 and 1985.