SAD celebrations start with Harsimrat lead

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Badal (Muktsar), May 23

At 1.50 pm on Thursday, SAD chief and party candidate from the Ferozepur parliamentary constituency Sukhbir Singh Badal was leading by a comfortable margin, but there was no celebration at the Badals’ residence.

Party workers present in a large number in the outer portion of the residence were watching news on an LED screen and cellphones to know the latest trends on the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat from where Harsimrat Kaur Badal was leading by a margin of 10,000 votes. Gradually, the margin was going slightly up and down with every round of counting.

Most of the SAD workers and security personnel attached with the Badals were praying for her victory and saying, “A win is a win whether it is by a margin of 5,000 or 10,000 votes. Waheguru please do something good. If Sukhbir wins from Ferozepur by over 1.5 lakh votes and Biba ji loses her seat, there will be no meaning of landslide victory in Ferozepur.”

Later at 1.55 pm, when they got a positive signal from inside, party workers erupted in celebrations. Even drum-beaters were put on a standby and ‘laddoos’ ordered from a local sweetmeat shop were not brought inside the residence. Till then ‘bread pakoras’ and tea were being served to party men.

By that time, Harsimrat had got a lead of nearly 19,000 votes and Sukhbir came to his office from the inner portion of the residence. He got a rousing welcome from party workers. Amid loud pro-SAD slogans, he thanked each and every party worker by shaking hands. Wearing a white kurta-pyjama, he was begging the party men to move fast as he was in a hurry to leave for his Ferozepur constituency.

Meanwhile, former CM Parkash Singh Badal too came out to meet the public, but he returned within a few minutes.

Thereafter, Harsimrat came to meet the public after performing ‘ardas’ in the inner portion of her residence. Controlling her emotions, she stood along with Sukhbir in the office and thanked the voters. Later, she boarded a multi-utility vehicle (MUV) and took a round of the outer portion of her residence where a large number of party workers were present. After spending almost 30 minutes, she went inside.

On the occasion, the SAD workers danced to celebrate the Harsimrat’s victory. The outer road of the Badals’ residence was completely blocked by a large number of vehicles by that time. Some police personnel were managing traffic.

After being elected as MP for the third time, Harsimrat performed giddha with some women at her residence.