Lok Sabha election results 2019: ‘Those who had written us off proved wrong’ says Sukhbir Singh Badal

When Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal was faced with dissent within the party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, he started mobilising the party cadres to consolidate his position. He held a series of rallies and meetings to make the party workers gear up for the polls. In a move that surprised many, Sukhbir, an MLA from Jalalabad, took the poll plunge from the Ferozepur parliamentary seat.

As the results of the elections in Punjab were pouring in, with the SAD chief and his wife, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, leading from their seats, he spoke to HT. Excerpts:

How do you look at the election results?

The election results have cleared the air on many issues. The Akali Dal and our alliance partner (BJP) punctured the ‘Mission 13’ of Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh who had claimed that the Congress will win all the seats in the state.

Also, those who had written our party off have been proved wrong. Though I expected our candidates would win from the Jalandhar, Anandpur Sahib and Sangrur seats, I am still glad that all our candidates gave a tough fight to their opponents.

Read more: Saffron sweeps north but no Modi mojo in Punjab

What does it mean for your party?

We are back in the fight. People have totally rejected the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Besides, the SAD (Taksali) was decimated as its candidate in Anandpur Sahib got only a few thousand votes. The Bargari Morcha failed to make any impact even as they ran a campaign against us in the Bathinda and Ferozepur constituencies. Our victory in these segments has proved that people are with the Badal family. Our cadres are fully charged and are ready for a fight.

What next for you and the party now?

Our party cadres never sit idle they are always in fighting mode. Now, we will gear up for the bypolls for the seats that have been rendered vacant after the Lok Sabha results. We will also start focusing on the 2022 assembly polls in Punjab.Sukhbir Singh Badal, SAD chief