The political sphere in Punjab was stirred by controversy as a 2011-batch IAS officer Parampal Kaur Sidhu on Thursday officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alongside her husband Gurpreet Singh Maluka – son of senior Akali Dal leader Sikander Singh Maluka, mere days after tendering her voluntary retirement from the Punjab Government. However, the timing of Sidhu’s resignation and subsequent political allegiance sparked a dispute, with conflicting statements emerging from different quarters.
While Sidhu and Maluka’s induction into the BJP was marked by a formal ceremony at BJP headquarters in New Delhi, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, hours later, shared a post on X asserting that the State Government had not accepted Sidhu’s resignation as an IAS officer. At the same time, Mann cautioned Sidhu about the potential ramifications of her swift decision, emphasizing the importance of adhering to proper procedures while resigning from a government position.
“Parmpal Kaur’s resignation as an IAS officer hasn’t yet not accepted by Punjab Government. She was so eager to become an IAS earlier. However, there is a way to leave…Please understand the ways to resign…Otherwise, the earning of the whole life will go waste,” Mann posted, in Punjabi, on X.
In contrast, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, speaking at the induction event, claimed that Sidhu's resignation had been accepted a day before her BJP affiliation was announced. This contradiction highlighted the confusion surrounding Sidhu’s departure from her bureaucratic role and fueled speculation about the underlying motives behind her political transition.
Fifty-nine-year-old Sidhu, who was to retire in October this year, had put in her papers seeking premature retirement on April 3, amid speculation that she might join the BJP. At that time, she was holding the post of Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation’s managing director.
Expressing her decision to join the BJP, Sidhu emphasized, “After assessing the BJP's policies and their commitment to women's welfare, my husband and I concluded that joining the BJP was the right choice. I believe that other political parties have limited prospects in Punjab and the nation at large.”
Sidhu’s decision to resign and align with the BJP carries implications beyond just a change in political allegiance. Speculations abound regarding her potential candidacy from the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat, currently held by Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal’s wife and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
The potential electoral contest between Sidhu and Harsimrat in Bathinda has triggered apprehensions within the Akali Dal camp. Sikander Singh Maluka, former Akali Minister who has not joined the BJP, was actively campaigning for Harsimrat Kaur Badal till Wednesday (April 10). Moreover, Maluka is also the member of SAD’s manifesto committee formed for 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Maluka commands significant influence in Rampura Phul, Maur, Bathinda Rural, and surrounding areas that fall under Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency, raising concerns that Sidhu’s candidacy could potentially divide Harsimrat’s voter base.
In September 2021, internal strife erupted within the Akali Dal when Maluka's request for a ticket from the Maur constituency was denied. Originally, he had sought a ticket for both himself and his son Gurpreet Singh Maluka, with the former wanting to contest from Maur, while fielding his son from Rampura Phul, where the former Minister had previously won twice out of five contests. Eventually, after initial reluctance, Maluka contested from Rampura Phul, while his son Gurpreet did not enter the fray.
Sidhu's Journey Amidst Political Connections
Parampal Kaur Sidhu made her mark as Punjab’s first woman Block Development Panchayat Officer (BDPO) in the early 1990s. However, her career trajectory was marked by a series of controversies, largely attributed to her familial ties with senior Akali leader Sikander Singh Maluka.
During the SAD-BJP regime in 2013, attempts were made to integrate Sidhu into the Punjab Civil Service (PCS) through nomination, leveraging her familial connection with Maluka, who was the Education Minister that time. However, Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) returned the file, signaling disapproval of nomination. Nevertheless, she assumed the role of Additional Project Director in the office of the Director General of School Education at that time.
Following a Cabinet reshuffle that saw Maluka’s portfolio expand to include the Rural Development and Panchayat Department, Sidhu was appointed as District Development Panchayat Officer (DDPO) in Bathinda in 2015. Her promotion to Deputy Director in the Panchayat Department on December 1, 2015, paved the way for her case to be forwarded to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for potential induction as an IAS officer through the nomination route.
Joining as a non-state civil services IAS officer on January 15, 2016, during the SAD-BJP administration, Sidhu’s initial posting as Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) in Bathinda underscored the influence of her familial ties within the political landscape. Despite her relatively recent entry into the civil services, she was categorized under the 2011-batch of IAS officers due to her prior length of service.
Her appointment to positions within departments Maluka oversaw as a Minister also drew sharp criticism from the Congress during its regime in 2017-2022.
