Ahead of Punjab Assembly polls, SAD's Prakash Singh Badal goes for routine check-up

Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Parkash Singh Badal, who was the Chief Minister of Punjab on five occasions, on Saturday, went to Fortis Hospital, Mohali to get his routine check-up done.

Harcharan Bains, who is the Principal Advisor to SAD President S. Sukhbir Singh Badal, in an official statement, said that Badal was advised to undergo regular check-ups by doctors twice or thrice a week as a precaution, especially after being infected by COVID-19 and he is doing it dutifully.

At the age of 94, Badal will contest the Punjab Assembly polls from his home turf Lambi. He will become the oldest candidate to contest any type of election in the country.

Badal, who still makes political appearances, was the youngest sarpanch when he got elected from Badal village of Punjab in 1947.

He also became the youngest Chief Minister in 1970 at the age of 43 years. Later, he became the oldest Chief Minister in 2012.

Badal held the Chief Ministerial position in Punjab five times from 1970-71, 1977-80, 1997-2002, 2007-12 and 2012-17.

He was the president of SAD from 1995 to 2008 and has also been a member of Lok Sabha once.

Punjab will go to the polls on February 20. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

( With inputs from ANI )