Chandigarh: Jai Inder Kaur, the daughter of former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, is able to take up his political mantle. Involved with Patiala’s municipal politics for a few years, she is now believed to be eyeing a much bigger position on the nationwide stage.
Last month, when she accompanied her father to fulfill Prime Minister Narendra Modi, rumours have been rife that she hoped to be fielded by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from the Patiala Lok Sabha seat within the upcoming normal elections.
Jai Inder was appointed a 19-member ex officio member of the BJP state election committee introduced on 29 February.
The 57-year-old had been a silent supporter of her dad and mom’ political careers for many years. But previously few years, she has emerged as an lively chief, cultivating her household’s stronghold of Patiala. While uncertainty of who will get the BJP ticket in Patiala stays, Jai Inder goes all out to strengthen the ladies’s wing of the occasion.
As the Mahila Morcha head, she is busy organising marathon programmes for BJP’s girls employees as a part of a nationwide agenda forward of the parliamentary polls.
ਅੱਜ ਭਾਜਪਾ ਮਹਿਲਾ ਮੋਰਚਾ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਚਲਾਏ ਜਾ ਰਹੇ ਨਾਰੀ ਸ਼ਕਤੀ ਵੰਦਨ ਸਮਾਪਤੀ ਪ੍ਰੋਗਰਾਮ ਤਹਿਤ ਸਾਡੇ ਮਾਣਯੋਗ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਨਰਿੰਦਰ ਮੋਦੀ ਜੀ ਦਾ ਭਾਸ਼ਣ ਸਮੂਹ ਪਟਿਆਲਾ ਮਹਿਲਾ ਮੋਰਚਾ ਟੀਮ ਨਾਲ ਬੈਠਕੇ ਸੁਣਿਆ। pic.twitter.com/mKHfmxFHRD
— Jai Inder Kaur (@jaiinder_kaur) March 6, 2024
The Congress has an in depth eye on the political churning in Patiala, primarily due to a flurry of exercise there involving Captain Amarinder Singh’s household. “The question is: who will the ticket go to? It could either be Preneet Kaur or Jai Inder Kaur. Our strategy and candidate will depend on that. Congress will be victorious in all 13 (Lok Sabha) seats in Punjab and Patiala will be no different,” Congress’ Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa instructed ThePrint Sunday.
As for the BJP’s Patiala unit, Preneet Kaur is their first alternative for the Lok Sabha elections and Jai Inder Kaur for the meeting elections.
“Maharani sahiba has been an MP from this place four times and no candidate in Patiala from any party can compare with her,” stated Vijay Sharma Kuka of the native BJP unit.
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Family’s shift from Congress to BJP
Jai Inder Kaur is married to Gurpal Singh Sandhawalia, the scion of the erstwhile Raja Sansi royal household of Lahore. Their elder son Angad is married to Aparajita, daughter of Congress veteran and former Himachal Pradesh chief minister the late Virbhadra Singh, whereas tinheritor youthful son Nirwan is married to Princess Mriganka Singh, great-granddaughter of Hari Singh, the final ruler of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Jai Inder joined the BJP in September 2022, alongside along with her father and brother Raninder, when Captain Amarinder merged his Punjab Lok Congress with the BJP. She was appointed the vice-president of Punjab BJP in December that yr.
In July 2023, she was the star attraction at a BJP rally in Patiala to have a good time 9 years of the Modi authorities. In September that yr, she was appointed president of the Mahila Morcha of the occasion’s Punjab unit.
Jai Inder made headlines in July 2023 when she had a heated argument with Punjab minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Chetan Singh Jouramajra over the distribution of flood reduction materials in Patiala. A video of the spat had then gone viral.
Her dad and mom, who have been as soon as dyed-in-the-wool Congress leaders, parted methods with the occasion in 2021. Captain Amarinder Singh was unceremoniously eliminated as chief minister to get replaced by Charanjit Singh Channi in 2021. A livid Amarinder floated his personal occasion, the Punjab Lok Congress, and allied with the BJP to struggle the 2022 meeting polls.
Jai Inder campaigned vigorously for the occasion throughout Punjab.
The Punjab Lok Congress, nevertheless, did not win any of the 28 seats it contested, garnering solely 0.54 p.c of the overall votes polled within the state. Captain Amarinder then merged his occasion with the BJP a number of months later and has since been ready to be given a accountability commensurate to his dignity and place as a veteran of Punjab politics.
His spouse Preneet Kaur had gained the Patiala parliamentary seat 4 occasions as a Congress candidate since 1999. She is the present MP from Patiala however was suspended from the Congress in February 2023 for “anti-party” actions.
A refined and sleek politician, Preneet Kaur is named “Maharani sahiba” in Patiala and has a powerful rapport with the ladies of the town. Kaur, now 80 years outdated, continues to be politically lively and infrequently joins her daughter throughout BJP occasions. On 5 March, she and Jai Inder Kaur flagged off a particular prepare to Ayodhya, carrying devotees to go to the Ram Mandir.
Flagged off the 2nd particular prepare from Patiala to Ayodhya taking pilgrims to pay obeisance at Sri Ram Mandir at the moment. Grateful to PM Shri @narendramodi and Railway minister @AshwiniVaishnaw ji for accepting my request and facilitating 2 particular trains from Patiala. pic.twitter.com/Tp6whP7fLo
— Preneet Kaur (@preneet_kaur) March 5, 2024
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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