Parkash Singh Badal was a prominent Indian politician who served as the Chief Minister of Punjab for five terms. He was also the founding member and patriarch of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), a regional political party in Punjab.
Badal was 95 years old at the time of his death, and his passing is being mourned by political leaders and the people of Punjab.
According to news reports, Badal was admitted to a private hospital in Mohali after he complained of difficulty in breathing. Despite medical treatment, his condition deteriorated, and he passed away on Tuesday evening around 8 pm, according to hospital officials.
In 2022, Parkash Singh Badal contested the Punjab Assembly elections for the 13th time in his political career, making him the oldest election candidate in Indian history at the age of 94. He was a five-time Chief Minister of Punjab and a founding member of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), a regional political party in Punjab.
Badal was also known for switching his constituency to Lambi, where he won five consecutive elections from 1997 to 2017. In 2015, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award, for his contributions to public service. However, he returned the award in 2020 in protest against the controversial farm laws passed by the Indian government.
Badal began his political career as the youngest sarpanch (village head) in 1952 when he was elected from his village of Badal. He went on to win his first Assembly election from Malout in 1957 before winning five consecutive times from Gidderbaha in 1969, 1972, 1977, 1980, and 1985. He suffered two defeats in his political career, in 1967 and 2022.
Badal was also known for switching his constituency to Lambi, where he won five consecutive elections from 1997 to 2017. In 2015, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award, for his contributions to public service. However, he returned the award in 2020 in protest against the controversial farm laws passed by the Indian government.
Badal’s death on April 26, 2023, was mourned by political leaders and the people of Punjab, who remembered him as a veteran leader who had contributed significantly to the development of the state.
