Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, October 31: Senior Akali Dal leader Balwant Singh Ramoowalia who gave give high intensity shocker to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his Deputy Chief Minister son Sukhbir Singh Badal by joining Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s cabinet to emerge as a Sikh face in that state, is a rare species of politicians who can go to any extent to achieve his objective.
It was only about 10 days back that rumours had hit political circles about his resignation from the Akali Dal but he himself issued the denial. However, people in Punjab were in for the biggest surprise on Saturday morning when he got up to take oath as minister in Lucknow.
Ramoowalia had come close to Mulayam Singh Yadav when he was a minister at the centre in the Deve Gowda government. He was not in the Akali Dal at that time but was a Rajya Sabha member. The leader instrumental in his elevation at that time was the Communist stalwart Harkishan Singh Surjeet in whose contact had been after leaving Akali Dal. Surjeet, then CPI(M) chief, otherwise had been well connected with several contemporary Akali leaders like former Pepsu minister Dara Singh and Gurcharan Singh Tohra. However, although he was a flexible in his politics, he could never develop any understanding with Parkash Singh Badal.
Earlier, Ramoowalia had his political grinding as personal assistant of Sant Harchand Singh Longowal during the Dharamyudh morcha and Akali spokesman. He was part of several meetings the Akali Dal had with the union ministers till Operation Bluestar in June, 1984.
At one stage, he floated his Lok Bhalai Party and emerged on the scene of Punjab as the most ardent critic of Badal. He is known for dramatic effect on the stage. He had a lot of support among the Punjabi diaspora as he took up their problems, especially of the women deserted by NRI bridegrooms.
Suddenly, he dissolved his Lok Bhalai Party to rejoin the Akali Dal. He started praising Badal with the same vigour like the intensity with which he used to spit venom against him while heading his Lok Bhalai Party. However, his party could not make much headway that brought him back to his mother party, which he has deserted again.
Ramoowalia was born on 15 March 1942. His father Karnail Singh Paras was a well-known Kavishar and himself learnt that art of ballad singing. He started his political career with student politics as a
general secretary of Student Federation of India in 1963. He subsequently joined Akali Dal and became Member of Parliament twice from Faridkot and Sangrur. He left Akali Dal to get elected to
Rajya Sabha in 1996 and served as the Union Minister for Social Welfare.
After re-joining the Akali Dal in November 2011, he contested the 2012 Assembly elections from Mohali but lost.
