Hockey icon Balbir Singh Senior, who died at 96 after battling multiple health issues, was on Monday cremated in Chandigarh with full state honours, with Punjab Sports Minister Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi declaring that the Mohali stadium will be named after the legendary player. The mortal remains of the three-time Olympic gold medallist was consigned to flames at an electric crematorium here, with his maternal grandson Kabir performing the last rites in the presence of Sikh priests.
The government said it will also give Rs five million to silver medal winners and Rs 2.5 million for bronze.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh met more than 20 party leaders, including ministers, MLAs and MPs at his farmhouse in Mohali's Siswan, sources said. Sidhu, who may be declared the state party chief, met four ministers and at least six MLAs at the residence of Jails Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa in Chandigarh, they said.
It has been a double whammy for the cricketer-turned-politician since there is already an outcry over his visit to Pakistan.
The biggest winner will be the BJP -- which has such a small presence that every incremental vote it gets can only increase its strength. But the man who will win despite losing everything will be Captain Amarinder Singh, predicts Aditi Phadnis.
'Feeling claustrophobic and humiliated by the manner in which the Congress vice-president was treating him, he started toying with the idea of floating his own party.'
