Manpreet not first Badal to join Cong

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, January 15

Former Finance Minister Manpreet Badal, who today merged his People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) with the Congress, is not the first one from the Badal clan to join the Congress.

Earlier Maheshinder Singh Badal and Paramjit Singh ‘Lali’ Badal – both cousins of Parkash Singh Badal – had joined the Congress.

Lali returned to the SAD fold within two-three years and was accommodated as member of the PPSC. Maheshinder not just remained with the Congress but also contested the assembly elections thrice against the elderly Badal from Lambi – once as an independent and twice on Congress ticket. He has now retired from the politics.

No easy-going for Manpreet

Since the PPP’s merger with the Congress has AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s approval, no party leader has come out openly against it. But most of them have expressed reservations over the matter.

“Manpreet and his brother-in-law Jojo had slapped false cases against a number of Congress men in Gidderbaha during their tenure in SAD government,” said a Congress leader from Gidderbaha.

Badal saw it coming

When Manpreet formed PPP, Badal had said one day Manpreet would join the Congress.

Courtesy: The Tribune