Badal ends 17-yr '' banvas''

 Tribune News Service

Mr Parkash Singh Badal (69) has returned to the centre-state of power politics in Punjab after 17 years.

An agriculturalist by profession, Mr Badal fits the classic description of a humble son of the soil inheriting the earth. A tireless campaigner for democracy, civil liberties and the rule of the law, Mr Badal has been in the vanguard of Punjab's march towards the era of lasting peace and prosperity.

Mr Badal commenced his political life in 1947 and spent 17 years in jail waging a heroic battle for a bright future of the people of Punjab.

He was first elected MLA in 1957, followed by his successful elections six times later in 1969, 1972, 1977, 1980, 1985 and this time. He was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Faridkot parliamentary constituency in March, 1997 and remained the Union Agriculture Minister from March 28, 1977 to June 1977.

Born in Abul Khurana village of Faridkot district on December 8, 1927, he had his education, including BA, at Forman's Christian college in Lahore in Pakistan. In the seventies, no Punjab leader could come anywhere near Mr Badal in terms of popularity. He was the most acceptable leader to all communities because of his secularist outlook. His advocacy of the AISSF and the Damdami Taksal and the call for negotiations between the Centre and those detained in Jodhpur were somewhat responsible for the blurring of that image. Young Badal had almost accepted a post of Tehsildar when top Sikh leader, Giani Kartar Singh, intervened and stopped the family. The shrewd politician had seen great potential in the young man and taken him under his wings.