Sukhbir Singh Badal: Third time lucky?

Punjab’s deputy chief minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal is known as a master political strategist in the state. He earned this title in the 2007 Assembly elections when SAD wrested power from the Congress led by Captain Amarinder Singh.

At that time Mr Badal was a fringe player in SAD politics. He was still emerging from his father Parkash Singh Badal’s shadow who was the tallest Akali leader in Punjab at that time. However, Sukhbir Singh Badal’s role as a successful strategist for Akalis in the 2007 Assembly elections catapulted him to the forefront of SAD politics.

Mr Badal completed MBA from California State University, Los Angles, in early 1980. Before that he studied economics in Panjab University after finishing his schooling from the Lawrence School, Sanawar.

Mr Badal, then a member of Parliament, became SAD president in 2008. A year later he was made Punjab deputy chief minister though he was still not a member of the state Assembly. He later got elected as a member of the legislative Assembly from Jalalabad constituency.

Mr Badal’s position within the party was further strengthened in 2012 after the SAD government was re-elected in Punjab by overcoming a possible anti-incumbency phase — a rare phenomenon in the state.

He was re-elected deputy chief minister, and for the first time a real power centre emerged within the government as well as the party.

The Shiromani Akali Dal, however, had its share of controversies and there have been severe charges against Mr Badal. His opponents call him “brash”, “arrogant” and he has been accused of behaving like a “chief executive officer” who has deviated from the ways of old-time politicians.

He has also been accused of having a hand in the cartelisation of businesses, especially in the transport sector.