CHANDIGARH: Shiromani Akali Dal patriarch Parkash Singh Badal, who straddled the politics of Punjab over seven decades and was chief minister five times, died on April 25. He was 95. Badal had not been keeping well for some time and was admitted to the Fortis Hospital in Mohali near here over a week ago after he complained of uneasiness in breathing.
The grand old man of Punjab politics first became chief minister 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 an election for the state assembly only twice. In 1977, he joined Morarji Desai’s government briefly as the Agriculture minister at the Centre.
The central government announced two days of state mourning on April 26 and 27 across India as a mark of respect to the former chief minister. President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several central ministers and chief ministers and leaders cutting across party lines condoled his demise and hailed his immense contributions to the state as well as the country.
As the news of his death broke, a large crowd of party workers and well-wishers gathered outside the hospital. Many leaders cutting across party lines also reached there to offer their condolences to the bereaved family.
Badal’s wife Surinder Kaur Badal died of cancer in 2011. They have two children – Sukhbir Singh Badal, the heir to his political legacy, and Parneet Kaur, who is married to former minister Adesh Pratap Singh Kairon. SAD chief Sukhbir Badal’s wife is Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
