In Punjab, snub for Patiala royals as Capt Amarinder Singh, kin pushed to sidelines
The BJP, which for the first time contested from all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, managed to double its vote share.
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Amarinder did not participate in the election campaign this time citing illness. He did not even attend the PM Modi's rally in his Patiala. (Express file photo)By inducting former Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu, who lost the Lok Sabha polls from Ludhiana, in the Union Council of Ministers, the BJP seems to have all but sidelined the family of former chief minister Amarinder Singh, including his former union minister wife Preneet Kaur — both imports from the grand old party.
While 82-year-old Amarinder, a former two-time CM, was once considered as one of the tallest leaders of Punjab and the Congress, his family held considerable clout in Patiala from where Preneet was elected an MP four times. Preneet, who switched over the BJP earlier this year, lost the seat to Congress Dr Dharamvira Gandhi.
Despite her defeat, and given BJP’s past history of accommodating losing party candidates from Punjab in the Union cabinet, it was expected that the saffron party will offer a role to Preneet.
The BJP had inducted Arun Jaitley, who was handed a humiliating defeat by Amarinder himself in Amritsar in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, in the Cabinet led Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In Modi’s second term as PM, the BJP inducted Hardeep Puri as a minister. Puri lost the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, also from Amritsar, against Congress’ Gurjeet Singh Aujla.
“By inducting Bittu instead of Preneet, the BJP has sent across a message that Ludhiana, an industry hub, is more important than Patiala in party’s scheme of things so far as the 2027 state elections are concerned,” said a senior BJP leader.
Amarinder did not participate in the election campaign this time citing illness. He did not even attend the PM Modi’s rally in his Patiala. He also mostly remained silent on social media, barring a select few posts where he spoke about his illness and one where he thanked the people of Patiala for its “overwhelming love” for the PM’s rally.
The BJP, which for the first time contested from all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, managed to double its vote share. However, there is a feeling within the BJP that party candidates would’ve done much better had Amarinder campaigned. The BJP’s campaign was marred by protests by farmers. Considering the soft stance that he took against the farmers during their agitation against the now repealed agri laws, it was believed that Amarinder could’ve eased the situation for BJP candidates.
“The BJP is looking at 2027 elections and aims to strengthen its state unit. Amarinder is an important leader. They (BJP) may have some role for him and his family,” said an aide of Amarinder.
The former CM’s daughter is the president of Punjab BJP’s women wing. She has already stated that she would be contesting Vidhan Sabha elections from Patiala (urban), an Assembly segment earlier represented by her father. Preneet has led from the segment in recent LS election
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