The five-time chief minister of Punjab Parkash Singh Badal said that Sukhbir Singh Badal would be the chief ministerial face of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in the state.
In an interview with CNN-News18, the 94-year-old politician said, “There is clarity on the CM face – it will be Sukhbir Singh Badal. Not like the CM (Charanjit Singh Channi) who is fighting on one side and his brother on the other.”
Parkash Singh has become the oldest politician contesting an election of any type in the country. He would be fighting the elections from the Lambi constituency.
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SAD’s top leadership is marred with the blemish of alleged sacrilege and drug trade, which is why the party is putting its best foot forward on every seat. The century-old grand party witnessed its worst performance in the last assembly polls in 2017 when it was reduced to just 15 seats in the assembly of 117 MLAs. The SAD then even lost its tag as the principal opposition party as the then greenhorn AAP managed 20 assembly seats foraying into Punjab’s political landscape.
His party recently withdrew support to the BJP over the issue of the controversial farm laws.
On being in touch with PM Modi, he said, “We are a party of principles. Personal connection is one thing, and principles are another. Our personal connections (Badal and Modi) may be good, but when it comes to Punjab, our people are our priority. This is why there is no question of going back to the BJP. We are not anyone’s enemies, but our politics is based on principles.”
The upcoming elections in Punjab would be decisive for the Badals as the party is now led by Sukhbir Singh. The SAD, however, banks upon the senior Badal whose appeal among the masses remains intact.
Talking to News18, Prakash Singh Badal attacked Congress, saying that talking about the party was a ‘sin’ and ‘crime’ in Punjab. “They attacked the Golden Temple, caused the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, they snatched out capital and Punjabi-speaking areas. They are our enemies, they don’t love or respect you,” he was quoted by the news daily.
Badal has been winning from the Lambi seat since 1997. He had earlier won five times in a row from Gidderbaha in 1969, 1972, 1977, 1980 and 1985. Thereafter, he switched over to Lambi and won five times in a row in 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017.
Voting for Punjab's 117 Assembly seats will be held on February 20 and the counting will take place on March 10.
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