Gobind Singh Longowal, 60, who once used to drive a car for Harchand Singh Longowal and was his foster son, was elected as the president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Wednesday.
Also on the list are Zora Singh Mann, a driver of Parkash Singh Badal, who made it to the Lok Sabha; and Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, who was PA to Harchand Longowal and made it to the Union cabinet.
Gobind’s political career started with the 1985 assembly polls, when a screening committee of the SAD comprising Badal wanted to give a ticket to someone else but former chief minister Surjit Singh Barnala decided to allot it to Gobind as he was “adopted as a son” by Harchand Longowal, who had died.
Gobind won on debut. Later, as a minister in the SS Barnala-led Akali government, now-CM Captain Amarinder Singh made him chairman of state agency Markfed.