States » NorthPosted at: Oct 2 2026 1:58PM


Sukhbir Badal’s Gen Z pitch blends pizza, AI farming and ‘cool dad’ talk

Neeraj Bali
Chandigarh, Oct 2 (UNI) Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal sought to connect with young voters at Khalsa College in Patiala, mixing politics with conversations about technology, food and family as the party launched its youth outreach programme, “Vibe Punjab Di”.
Students aged between 18 and 25 questioned Badal on subjects ranging from artificial intelligence and Punjab’s debt to his favourite food and music. Asked about his favourite song, Badal said, “I have got no time to listen to music.” He later posed for selfies with students as a Diljit Dosanjh song played in the background.
On agriculture, Badal said Punjab needed to diversify away from the wheat-paddy cycle and make greater use of technology. He said he was experimenting with soilless farming using grow bags in his village, where strawberries, blueberries, cherry tomatoes and capsicums were being cultivated.
“Everything is governed through technology. The computer is fed with what needs to be given to the plants, and farming happens accordingly,” Badal said. He promised an 80 per cent subsidy for farmers adopting such technology if the SAD returned to power.
Responding to a question on Punjab’s debt, Badal distinguished between borrowing for development and borrowing for routine expenditure, saying an SAD government would seek to avoid what he termed “bad debt”. He also claimed Punjab’s debt-to-GDP ratio had declined from 46pc in 2007 to 32pc in 2017 during SAD rule before subsequently rising to 49%.
The interaction also offered a glimpse of Badal away from politics. He described himself as a vegetarian who enjoys pizza, pasta, maa di dal and Diet Coke, and joked about his relationship with his daughters. “I am the cool parent, while my wife is very strict with the children,” he said.
Badal also recalled his childhood and his late father, former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, saying his father’s political commitments had kept him away from the family for long periods.
The youth outreach comes as the SAD steps up preparations for the 2027 Punjab Assembly election. The party has announced a statewide door-to-door campaign from October 6, beginning at Attari, to seek public suggestions for its manifesto, and a bus yatra led by Badal from Talwandi Sabo from November 10.
Senior SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said the party would consult farmers, traders, youth and government employees during the exercise. “The focus is on collecting feedback to make an action plan for ushering in progress and prosperity in Punjab,” he said.
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Tags: #Sukhbir Badal’s Gen Z pitch blends pizza# AI farming and ‘cool dad’ talk
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