Patiala, October 1, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday interacted with students at ‘Vibe Punjab Di’, a youth-focused campaign launched by the party in Patiala, discussing Punjab’s development, politics, family life, college memories and food preferences.
Addressing the gathering at Khalsa College, Badal urged young people to make an informed choice about the state’s leadership in the 2027 Assembly elections. Presenting himself as a leader focused on development, infrastructure and modernisation, he said that one person could change the destiny of Punjab.
During the interaction, Badal criticised successive Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) governments, naming former chief ministers Capt Amarinder Singh and Charanjit Singh Channi, as well as incumbent Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He said Punjab needed a leader with a clear development plan and described himself as a “development man”.
In a light-hearted exchange, Badal referred to what he portrayed as the skills of other political leaders, joking that Channi could milk goats and Mann could repair a puncture in the dark.
Highlighting the SAD government’s tenure from 2007 to 2017, Badal said the party had brought significant changes to Punjab’s infrastructure and institutions. He claimed that four-lane roads connected every district with Chandigarh and Amritsar, new thermal power plants were established, and institutions such as AIIMS, IIT, IISER, NIPER and ISB were brought to the state.
He also cited economic indicators, claiming that Punjab’s debt-to-GSDP ratio declined from 46 per cent to 32 per cent during the SAD’s tenure, while annual VAT collections increased from Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 20,000 crore.
Responding to a student’s question about borrowing, Badal said the previous SAD government had taken loans to finance infrastructure projects. He alleged that the current AAP government was using borrowed funds for expenditure that included Rs 6,000 crore on advertisements.
Badal also outlined his proposed approach to agricultural development, saying he wanted to introduce technologies such as hydroponics, provide subsidies to encourage their adoption and promote food processing in Punjab.
The SAD president also shared personal experiences during the question-and-answer session. Responding to Rashanpreet Kaur, he recalled his college days, saying his student life was similar to that of young people today. He spoke about the ‘geri’ route, attendance requirements and his academic record, saying he had consistently been a first-class student.
Describing his college years as the best period of his life, Badal said he wished he could return to those days.
In response to Rasdeep Kaur, he described himself as a “cool father” and said his daughters shared a friendly relationship with him. He added that they were more afraid of their mother, Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, than of him, and said he rarely reprimanded them.
Badal also spoke about his relationship with his father, former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, recalling that his father’s political commitments and periods in jail meant they spent limited time together during his childhood.
He recounted an incident in which Parkash Singh Badal, after being told that his son was studying at Lawrence School, Sanawar, visited the school and asked the principal for him by his nickname, “Lali”.
Sukhbir Badal said he had learnt important lessons from his father, including the importance of focusing on personal growth rather than competing with others. He recalled that his father encouraged him to “make his line longer” instead of trying to shorten someone else’s.
During a conversation with food blogger Navi Anand, Badal said he was a strict vegetarian but enjoyed pizza and pasta. He also spoke about his fondness for ‘maa di daal’ and Diet Coke, jokingly referring to himself as an unofficial ambassador for the soft drink.
The ‘Vibe Punjab Di’ programme was presented by the SAD as a platform for direct, informal conversations with young people on issues affecting Punjab, alongside personal and lifestyle topics.
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