By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu, Satender Chauhan: Former Punjab chief minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patriarch Parkash Singh Badal passed away at the age of 95 on Tuesday. The 95-year-old veteran politician was admitted to the Fortis Hospital in Mohali more than a week ago after he complained of uneasiness while breathing.

Parkash Singh Badal was in the ICU when he breathed his last at 8:28 pm on Tuesday.

ALSO READ | Kotkapura firing: SIT files supplementary chargesheet against Badals, former DGP

The confirmation of the SAD patron’s death was shared by the personal assistant of his son and party president Sukhbir Singh Badal. The veteran politician’s last rites will be performed in Bhatinda’s Badal village.

His mortal remains will be shifted from Mohali to Badal village on Wednesday morning.

In a medical bulletin issued on Monday evening, the private hospital said, “Parkash Singh Badal continues to be under close observation in the medical ICU (Intensive Care Unit).”

However, hospital sources had said there was a slight improvement in Badal’s health condition.

ALSO READ | From Bargari to Amritsar, sacrilege cases that rocked Punjab in recent years

They even said that if the senior politician maintained steady progress in his health condition over the next few days, he may be shifted to a private ward.

The five-time former chief minister of Punjab was hospitalised in June last year also following complaints related to gastritis and bronchial asthma.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh extended his condolences on Parkash Singh Badal’s death and said that he was a political stalwart who played a significant role in Punjab politics for many decades.

ALSO READ | Sacrilege incident at gurdwara in Punjab’s Morinda, CM Mann says no one will be spared

“In his long political and administrative career, he made several noteworthy contributions towards the welfare of farmers and other weaker sections of our society,” Rajnath Singh tweeted

Parkash Singh Badal served as the chief minister of Punjab from 1970-71, from 1977-80 and from 2007-2017. He was also the youngest politician to have ever hold the office of CM in Punjab.

Born on December 8, 1927, in the village of Abul Khurana, Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal began his political career in the 1950s as a member of the Akali Dal party. He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of Punjab multiple times and was first elected as the chief minister of Punjab in 1970.

Parkash Singh Badal is survived by his wife Surinder Kaur Badal, son Sukhbir Singh Badal, and daughter-in-law Harsimrat Kaur Badal.