Parkash Singh Badal: The grand old man of Punjab politics, who became India's youngest CM
2 min read . Updated: 26 Apr 2023, 06:06 AM IST
PremiumBorn on December 8, 1927, Parkash Singh Badal passed away on April 25.
Parkash Singh Badal, a five-time chief minister of Punjab, died on April 25 at the age of 95. He was the last surviving member of a political generation that saw Independence, survived the Emergency, and witnessed Punjab politics take a surprising turn in 2022.
Badal became the CM for the first time in 1970, heading a coalition government that did not complete its term. He was also the CM in 1977-80, 1997-2002, 2007-12, and 2012-2017. He was MLA 11 times, losing only twice. In 1977, he briefly joined Morarji Desai's government as the Agriculture minister at the Centre. Badal was a statesman who was loved and respected by all, including his political rivals.
Badal was born on December 8, 1927, in Abul Khurana near Malout. He entered the state assembly from Malout in 1957 as the Congress nominee. He won the Gidderbaha assembly seat on the SAD ticket in 1969. When the then chief minister Gurnam Singh defected to the Congress in 1970, the SAD regrouped and formed the government with the support of the Jana Sangh.
Badal became the youngest CM in the country, even if the coalition government lasted just a little more than a year. In 2017, when he ended his last stint as CM, he was among the oldest to have held that post.
Badal was re-elected in the 1972 elections but became the leader of the Opposition as the SAD could not form a government. He was chief minister for 15 months in 1970-71 and for 32 months in 1977-1980. During the 1977 elections, he again won from the Gidderbaha constituency and became the CM of the SAD-Janata Party government.
LIVE: Parkash Singh Badal, former Punjab CM, passes away at 95
He was again elected to the state assembly in June 1980 and September 1985 elections from the Gidderbaha assembly constituency. In 1986, Badal formed Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal).
Badal's governments focused on farmers. One key decision was introducing free electricity for agriculture. His party broke off ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the farmers’ agitation against the Centre's new farm laws in 2020. He also returned the Padma Vibhushan award he received in 2015.
Badal had been part of the movement for a separate Punjabi-speaking state. He bitterly opposed the idea of the Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal, meant to share river water with neighbouring Haryana. In 1982, he was arrested for leading an agitation over the project, which is yet to become a reality due to Punjab's continuing opposition.
As a sign of tribute to the former chief minister, the Central government has declared two days of state mourning, April 26 and 27, throughout the country. The cremation ceremony is scheduled for April 27 at 1 pm.
(With agency inputs)