Gurdas Singh Badal (6 August 1931 – 15 May 2020) was an Indian politician and parliamentarian. He was born in Abul Khurana, Firozpur district. He was the younger brother of Parkash Singh Badal. He was elected to the seventh Lok Sabha from Fazilka constituency in 1967 as member of Shiromani Akali Dal.[1][2] He was a member of the Indian National Congress.[3]

Family

He was the son of late Raghuraj Singh Badal, and the younger brother of former Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal. His son Manpreet Singh Badal was the Finance Minister of Punjab. His wife Harmandar Kaur died in March 2020.[4]

Political career

He was member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly from March 1967 – April 1969.[2] He was elected to the 5th Lok Sabha from 15 March 1971 – 18 January 1977 from Fazilka constituency representing the Shiromani Akali Dal.[5]

Later in his life he sported a green turban and supported the Indian National Congress.[6]

He handled Badal’s entire election campaign in the family’s pocket borough of Lambi in Muktsar district. For people of Malwa, the region of Punjab that has traditionally been the Akali stronghold, Gurdas was Akali Dal and Akali Dal was Gurdas.[7] It is often said that he was the man behind the Badal’s rise from village sarpanch to the chief minister of Punjab.[8]

He was known to be the wind under his brother's wings and his election manager. Parkash Singh Badal had reared Gurdas Singh Badal's son to politics and both their children were able to become famous politicians.[9][10] Even after a schism occurred between the Sukhbir Singh Badal and Manpreet Singh Badal, which the former won, their relationship did not deteriorate and remained.[11]

Death

He passed away due to cardiac arrest on 15 May 2020 at Fortis Hospital in Mohali.[12][13] He was cremated with state honors.[11]

References

  1. ^ Last Loksabha Election Results in Fazilka, Punjab
  2. ^ a b "Fifth Lok Sabha, Members Bioprofile". Lok Sabha. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  3. ^ Sethi, Chitleen K. (20 May 2020). "Gurdas & Parkash, Badal brothers whose bond remained unbreakable despite political divide". ThePrint. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Punjab FM Manpreet Badal's mother passes away". The Times of India. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  5. ^ "Gurdas Badal stands by son". The Indian Express. 14 October 2010. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Gurdas Badal, Younger Brother Of Parkash Singh Badal, Dies". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  7. ^ DHNS. "Badal siblings to lock horns in Punjab assembly polls". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Ex-CM Parkash Singh Badal turns 93, younger brother comes to greet". The Times of India. 9 December 2019. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  9. ^ "https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/gurdas-badal-father-of-punjab-finance-minister-manpreet-badal-dies-at-88-85111". ((cite web)): External link in |title= (help)
  10. ^ "Why don't you reunite: Akalis to Sukhbir and Manpreet, cite their fathers". The Indian Express. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Gurdas Badal cremated with state honours at native village". Hindustan Times. 16 May 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  12. ^ "Punjab finance minister Manpreet Badal's father passes away". The Times of India. 15 May 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  13. ^ "Gurdas Badal, father of Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal, dies at 88". The Tribune. 15 May 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2020.


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