At stake in Punjab: Popularity of the Badal family

The popularity of the prominent political family of the Badals in Punjab will be put to test in the upcoming polls that will determine much of the future course of the 98-year-old Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) party staring at a crisis.

Besieged by controversies, the SAD on Tuesday put its best foot forward, announcing names of husband-wife duo -- former deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal and union minister in Modi’s cabinet Harsimrat Kaur Badal -- for the upcoming polls. There has arguably been a palpable anger against the SAD, particularly against the Badals, owing to the series of incidents of sacrilege in Punjab.

The junior Badal's personal credibility as chief of the grand old party, besides his popularity as a mass leader will all be tested in this election.

After remaining active in state politics, Sukhbir Badal - son of octogenarian five-time Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal - will be entering parliamentary electoral politics after long. He will be contesting the election from Ferozpur, while his wife and union minister Harsimrat Kaur will contest from Bathinda.

The clout of the SAD under the leadership of heir apparent junior Badal started to wane after the debacle of the party in the 2017 assembly elections when it was reduced to only 15 seats in the house of 117. Many senior leaders expressed dwindling faith, rather no-confidence, in the leadership of the junior Badal, while blaming Parkash Singh Badal for his “putra mooh” (son’s love). Eventually, many senior leaders walked out of the party, announcing a new political outfit, SAD (Taksali), for the upcoming polls.

The Badal’s are embroiled in the controversies surrounding the sensitive issue of desecration of the Holy Guru Granth sahib. The police killing of the two Sikhs sitting on protest, rising incidents of sacrilege also put the Badal family in bad light. Investigators probing the firing incident are tightening the noose around the senior Badal.

The SAD is going through difficult times and the decision to field its two top heavyweights in elections is seen as a tactical move to project the party’s confidence in leading the charge against its adversaries. Sukhbir Badal has been an MP three times. He was Union Minister of State for Industry in Vajpayee ministry during 1998 to 1999. He was also a member of Rajya Sabha during 2001 to 2004.