Standing against ‘dynasty politics’, Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday made it clear that only he will be contesting the impending 2017 Punjab assembly polls from his family.
“None of my family members, other than me, will contest the assembly elections scheduled to be held in early 2017…It is a principled stand I and my family have taken that only one member will be contesting,” said Capt Amarinder during his hour-long interaction with a group of students from various educational institutions from Punjab.
Notably, Patiala’s royal family is active in politics, with his wife, Preneet Kaur, being a sitting MlA from Patiala after serving as Union Minister and elected thrice from Patiala lok Sabha constituency.
Capt Amarinder’s son Raninder Singh, who also ventured into the state politics, had been unsuccessful twice — against SAD’s Harsimrat Kaur in 2009 lok Sabha elections from Bathinda and against SAD’s Surjit Singh Rakhra in 2012 assembly polls from Samana.
His brother, Malvinder Singh, who has been associated with the Congress party since decades was also eyeing party ticket during previous assembly polls and even shifted loyalties towards Akali Dal before 2012 polls, only to rejoin Congress later on.
Now, with the new announcement, Capt Amarinder has developed an opportunity to take on the SAD, especially the Badals, over the dynasty politics.
The Opposition, particularly the Congress, has all along been criticising the Badal family for getting hold of all the major roles in the state government and the party within the family.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has elevated his son, Sukhbir Badal, to the post of Deputy Chief Minister and also as SAD president. Besides, he also pushed his daughter-in-law Harsimrat Badal’s name for a cabinet berth while ignoring many senior leaders.
Badal’s son-in-law Adeish Partap Singh Kairon and Sukhbir’s brother-in-law Bikram Majithia are also ministers in the SAD-BJP government. Badal’s another distant relative, Janmeja Singh Sekhon, is also a cabinet minister.
Responding to students’ query on how could they join politics as they did not have any political family background, he former chief minister said that the times were changing and particularly in the Congress, young and enterprising people were being given chance to contest. “It is not like the Badals where everything is disbursed and distributed within the family”, he remarked.
During interaction, Capt Amarinder also announced that once elected, his prime mission shall be to ensure at least one job in every family with respectable income.
When asked whether he preferred the Parliament or Vidhan Sabha, Capt Amarinder remarked, “Of course Vidhan Sabha”. He said, his interest has always been in Punjab.
Some of the students also wanted to know whether he himself handled his Facebook page or it was someone else. He told them that they can check with him anytime and he personally handled his Facebook and answered all the questions himself.
The students also wanted to know as how he will solve the problem of unemployment. Agreeing with them that it was “easier said than done”, he assured them that he will build up the confidence of investors so that they set up industries which will lead to job creation.
Besides, Capt Amarinder added that his mission will be to ensure at least one job in each and every family in state with respectable income.
“By job I don’t mean just a government or private sector job, I mean respectable income generation which can be possible in several ways, like agriculture, entrepreneurship and other business ventures”, he told the students, adding, he was confident about accomplishing this mission.
The students also expressed concern over the drug addiction, police high handedness in the state, which Capt Amarinder said, he had already announced will be his first priority to settle after coming to power.
