In 1997 comeback, he took safe route in Punjab

LUDHIANA: While staging a comeback in Punjab politics in 1997, SAD patron Parkash Singh Badal was in no mood to leave anything to chance.

Contesting his first elections after a decade, Badal, apart from his pocket borough of Lambi segment, contested from the then Qila Raipur seat in Ludhiana district.

The plan was that as Badal was the CM face, his contesting from two seats would ensure he enters the assembly. That was the first time Badal won an election outside his home turf, defeating nearest rival Tarsem Jodhan of CPI, Akali hardline leader Simranjeet Singh Mann, and Jagdev Singh Jassowal of Congress. After President's rule was imposed in Punjab in mid-1980s, assembly elections were held in 1992. However, Akalis had boycotted those.

On why Badal chose the Qila Raipur seat, Jagdish Singh Garcha (90) said Giani Arjun Singh of SAD had represented the seat five times. "Therefore, it was considered to be a SAD bastion."


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