Amritsar (Punjab) [India], January 31 (ANI): Five-time Punjab Chief Minister and senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Parkash Singh Badal on Monday filed his nomination for the upcoming assembly elections from Lambi constituency.

The presence of Parkash Singh Badal, 94, in the fray is likely to strengthen the SAD in the multi-party poll contest in Punjab.

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"The entire party pleaded with Sardar Parkash Singh Badal not to retire from politics and he has acceded to our request to contest the forthcoming elections from Lambi. Badal Sahab has always been in the forefront to offer his services for the welfare of Punjab and Punjabis and he is doing so again," Sukhbir Singh Badal said at a press conference.

Born on December 8, 1927, at Abul Khurana, near Malout Parkash Singh Badal became Chief Minister for the first time in 1970 and was then the youngest chief minister of an Indian state. He was the president of the party from 1995 to 2008.

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

In the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls, Congress won an absolute majority in the state by winning 77 seats and ousted the SAD-BJP government after 10 years.

Aam Aadmi Party had emerged as the second-largest party winning 20 seats in 117-member Punjab Legislative Assembly. The SAD could manage to win only 15 seats while the BJP secured 3 seats. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)