Why don’t you reunite: Akalis to Sukhbir and Manpreet, cite their fathers

Latching onto this remark, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Prem Singh Chandumajra said, “If they have got together, why can’t you two (Manpreet and Sukhbir) come together again. All the religious leaders present here also have the same wish.”

Soon the ‘pandal’ reverberated with chants of “Bole so nihaal… Sat Sri Akaal”. Prem Singh Chandumajra’s views were seconded by SAD senior leader Balwinder Singh Bhunder, who said, “Irrespective of political differences, both brothers (Gurdas Singh Badal and Parkash Singh Badal) loved each other so much. We wish that you both (Manpreet and Sukhbir) should also imbibe these values from your fathers.”

Gurdas Singh Badal was the younger of the two brothers. Besides being called Ram-Lakshman, the two were also famous as “Das te Paash” (Das and Paash). While Gurdas Singh Badal died on May 15, 2020, at the age of 90, Parkash Singh Badal died on April 25, 2023, at the age of 95.

Manpreet Singh Badal had started his political journey from Akali Dal when Gurdas Singh Badal used to be the right-hand man of his elder brother Parkash Singh Badal. But in September 2011, Manpreet Singh Badal left Akali Dal and floated his own party – People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) – from which his father Gurdas Singh Badal unsuccessfully contested against Parkash Singh Badal in 2012 Vidhan Sabha polls. PPP did miserably in that elections. It failed to win even a single seat, and SAD-BJP combine came to power for the second consecutive time in Punjab then. Manpreet
Singh Badal later joined Congress and even contested against his own sister-in-law Harsimrat Kaur Badal in 2014 parliamentary elections from Bathinda but could not win. Later Manpreet Singh Badal as a Congress candidate won from
Bathinda Urban in 2017 Punjab Assembly elections and became the finance minister of Punjab when Congress formed the government in the state.

But in 2022 Punjab Assembly polls, Manpreet Singh Badal lost to AAP’s Jagrup Singh Gill by more than 63,000 votes. Interestingly, in the run-up to the elections then, his own party colleague Amrinder Singh Raja Warring (who is now Punjab Congress chief) had campaigned with a message to defeat all Badals saying that they were all together again, though in different political parties. Eventually all the Badals lost the 2022 state elections. In January this year Manpreet Singh Badal joined BJP.

After parting with Akali Dal, Manpreet Singh Badal used to openly speak out against the Badals and Akali Dal, but on Thursday he was all praise for Badal senior as he said, “It is a big responsibility to carry forward the legacy of Badal Saab. He was a kind soul on whom our PM Narendra Modi too wrote a column. Many people come and go, but very few like Badal Saab are remembered for lifetime, they become immortal.”

Singing praises of Badal senior, Manpreet Singh Badal recalled his uncle’s contribution to rural development like creating a road network in the villages, providing them drinking water, etc. He also lauded the SAD patron’s decision to provide free agriculture power to farmers.

Though Sukhbir and Manpreet didn’t react to the reunion call given by Prem Singh Chandumajra and Balwinder Singh Bhunder – Manpreet has been seen by the side of Sukhbir ever since the passing away of his uncle and Akali stalwart. Manpreet is always seen in Badal village meeting people along with his cousin Sukhbir, as people visit them to pay homage to the veteran Akali leader.