They are not new to the power game, and its rules. Born and brought up in families where a game of politics is the favourite sport, they know when to fight and when succumb for emerging as a winner.
But the contest this time is not just for victory. It’s for saving the family name. For, they are not just politicians, but members of clans who know the taste of victory and the importance of retaining it.They are aware of all the games the rivals play, for they and their families play them too; and that too for generations.
Not new to the big bad world of the politics as some of them were nurtured on power virtually since their childhood, many of them were born and brought up in the “political families” of Chief Ministers and ex-Chief Ministers, while many became their part after tying nuptial knot.
This election would witness a Chief Minister, kith and kin of the Chief Ministers - former and sitting, and the descendants of many political stalwarts of Punjab contesting the Parliamentary elections for climbing up the rungs of popularity and power. And also those who have imparted the values to the next generation, and also to their better halves.
Nothing less than four candidates from the families of three former Chief Ministers or Chief Ministers are in fray in 2014 lok Sabha elections in Punjab, against the previous 2009 polls, where around three such candidates were contesting the elections.Besides, the Chief Minister and their kins, six other candidates are also contesting polls on the ticket from two major political parties who have their fathers or sons, brothers, wives or husbands, fighting it out in the lok Sabha electoral battle this time.
Trying their luck in the game of chance are the families of former Chief Ministers including late Beant Singh (February 1992-August 1995-Congress), Capt Amarinder Singh (February 2002-March 2007-Congress), and the sitting Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal (March 1970-June 1971; June 1977-February 1980; February 1997-February 2002; and March 2007-till date-SAD).
Other than their near relatives, former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder is also battling it out in the poll field.Five-time Chief Minister Badal has two of his relatives - daughter-in-law Harsimrat Kaur Badal and nephew Manpreet Badal — pitted against each other in the high-octane battle of Bathinda making it a family feud rather than a political battle.
Revolting against his uncle, Badal’s ‘estranged’ nephew is contesting polls from Bathinda - considered as Badal’s home turf - that too with on the Congress’ symbol, the main rivals of the Akali-BJP.Badal’s home constituency, lambi, too witnessed a political battle within the family during 2012 State Assembly polls with Badal facing his two brothers — Manpreet’s father Gurdas Singh Badal from the People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) and Maheshinder Singh Badal from Congress.
While Manpreet and his PPP failed to secure even a single seat during 2012, the polls put the Badals in a stronger position with the Akali-BJP combine registering consecutive victory - first time ever in Punjab.left fending for himself, Manpreet has now joined hands with the Congress against the SAD-BJP regime.
Harsimrat’s husband, Badal’s son, Sukhbir Badal has proved his mettle not only in the State politics, but also in the national capital in the recent past. Besides, Harsimrat’s brother Bikram Singh Majithia, also the Youth Akali Dal chief, is also serving as the Revenue Minister in the current SAD-BJP Government in the State.Despite initial reluctance, former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh has been made to jump in the electoral field from the holy city of Amritsar against the BJP stalwart and three-time Rajya Sabha MP Arun Jaitley in the latter’s first ever lok Sabha election outing.
Capt Amarinder, along with his wife Preneet Kaur have been contesting the lok Sabha polls on the same party ticket, and from the same State - making it the first husband-wife couple in Punjab to do so.As the ‘Maharaja of Patiala’ is fighting the big battle away from his den - Amritsar in a battle of prestige, his Union Minister wife and the sitting MP will contest the polls from her bastion, Patiala.
The royal couple though has passed on political lessons to their son Raninder Singh, he has failed to make a mark in the State as the Royal scion has failed in his first two election hustings. While Raninder was made to bite dust by Harsimrat during 2009 lok Sabha polls in Bathinda, the ‘Yuvraj’ faced another defeat during 2012 polls by falling behind SAD’s Surjit Singh Rakhra from Samana.
Another former Chief Minister Beant Singh’s grandson and sitting Anandpur Sahib MP Ravneet Singh Bittu is once again trying his luck, but this time from ludhiana parliamentary seat.Elected in his first lok Sabha election in 2009 from Anandpur Sahib, Bittu has been shifted owing to anti-incumbency wave against him to ludhiana replacing sitting MP and Union Minister Manish Tewari, who opted out of polls due to ill health.
ludhiana being the home constituency for Bittu considering his grandfather Beant Singh too used to contest polls from Payal Assembly segment under ludhiana. Bittu’s cousin, Gurkirat Singh Kotli is also Congress MlA from Khanna, that too falls under ludhiana segment.
The list does not end here. The son of celebrated Indian politician, parliamentarian and former Governor of Madhya Pradesh Balram Jakhar, Sunil Kumar Jakhar is too in the fray from Ferozepur constituency.Inherited political gyan from his father, junior Jakhar has emerged as the top Congress leader in the State, and is presently the leader of Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. His elder brother, Sajjan Kumar Jakhar, has also served as former Punjab minister.
Besides, the sitting Gurdaspur MP and Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa too has a MlA wife Charanjit Kaur Bajwa, and younger brother Fateh Singh Bajwa, also a Congress leader.Akali stalwart and Rajya Sabha member Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa too has acquainted his son, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, from the State politics who is now serving as Finance Minister of the state.
Sitting Akali MP from Faridkot Paramjit Kaur Gulshan has first secured ticket for his husband Nirmal Singh Judge from Bassi Pathana constituency in 2012 polls, and also ensured that he wins.In another example of spouse entering the politics after their better-half, sitting Jalandhar MP Mohinder Singh Kaypee’s wife Suman Kaypee unsuccessfully contested 2012 assembly polls from Jalandhar west seat. Kaypee has been shifted to neighbouring Hoshiarpur replacing sitting MP and Union Minister Santosh Chowdhary.
Former minister and senior party leader Chaudhary Santokh Singh has his political-active son Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary, whose name was doing the rounds for Jalandhar considering his capability of clinching the win.