That unique quality to be closeted with a Laloo Yadav or Mulayam Singh or an Arjun Singh is testimony of his uncanny ability to liaise with political parties (except the BJP) with ease. On many occasions, he has managed to successfully bring together disparate groupings with the sole objective of keeping the BJP at bay. "Unlike other communist leaders who are inward-looking and have an ideological arrogance, Surjeet is the exact opposite," says a party worker. In flexibility lies his real strength. Hailing from a village near Jalandhar in Punjab, Surjeet's political baptism took place when, at the age of 15, he planted the tri-colour in a school building. He left the Congress when the communist party was founded in the early '30s and has since been a part of the central leadership. "His Punjab days have helped him immensely. Intermingling with various Akali groups and the Congress and being part of the Kisan Sabha provided him the opportunity to mix with different leaders," said a CPI(M) activist.