Gurmeet Singh Khudian: First-time legislator who beat Parkash Singh Badal now part of Mann Cabinet

Tribune News Service

Archit Watts

Muktsar, May 31

The induction of Gurmeet Singh Khudian as a Cabinet minister is set to add to the Badals’ woes. The first-time MLA last year defeated former CM and SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal in the latter’s own home turf, Lambi, by 11,396 votes.

After the former CM passed away in April, SAD is yet to appoint an heir in the VVIP constituency, which is a part of Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal’s parliamentary seat.

Muktsar, which is the home district of both, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and PCC chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, now has two Cabinet ministers – Dr Baljit Kaur and Khudian.

Khudian, a matriculate who has spent three decades in politics, is a strong critic of the Badals. Prior to joining AAP in July 2021, he served as the president of the Muktsar District Congress Committee. He acted as a covering candidate for former CM Capt Amarinder Singh, when the latter had unsuccessfully contested an election from Lambi as the Congress nominee against Parkash Singh Badal in 2017.

Khudian’s father, late MP Jagdev Singh Khudian, was originally an associate of the former CM, who later joined SAD (Mann). Known for his simplicity, Khudian has managed to stay away from controversies throughout his tenure as an MLA. After his victory, Khudian had said, “A number of MLAs will end up as ministers, but I am more than content with the fact that I have defeated Badal (Parkash Singh Badal). There can’t be a bigger achievement than defeating a man who has been the CM five times.”

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