 Harcharan relied on Lal for all the rural votes as he was able to rally the masses in the rural areas in Ajnala.Being a close associate of Harcharan and S. Beant Singh (former Chief Minister of Punjab who joined the Congress Party in the 1970s), he was nominated as the chairman of Market committee in the 1970s and held that post for 21 years.As Lal started his career from a grassroots level worker of the party, but was lured by Parkash Singh Badal to join the Shiromani Akali Dal party after the demise of his political guru Beant Singh and his close associate, S. Harcharan Singh Ajnala.