Sunil Jakhar takes charge as BJP president in Punjab, signaling leadership change
The decision to change the leadership at the top in the Punjab BJP has been in the works for the past year
Chandigarh, July 4: In a recent development, Sunil Jakhar has been appointed as the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Punjab. The BJP has also announced the appointments of Union Minister G Kishan Reddy as the party president in Telangana and Babulal Marandi as the party president in Jharkhand, according to a statement released by the party.
The decision to change the leadership at the top in the Punjab BJP has been in the works for the past year. Last year, Dushyant Gautam, the party's national general secretary and in-charge of the BJP's state unit, had indicated that the BJP had functioned as a junior ally in Punjab, contesting only 23 Assembly seats for many years.
The appointments of Sunil Jakhar, G Kishan Reddy, and Babulal Marandi as BJP presidents signify the party's efforts to strengthen its presence and organisational structure in these states. The new leaders will be entrusted with the responsibility of leading the party and furthering its goals and agenda in their respective regions.
Background of Sunil Jakhar
Sunil Jakhar, hailing from a political dynasty, has emerged as a prominent figure in Punjab politics, having served as the President of the Punjab Congress. He comes from a lineage deeply rooted in politics, being the son of former Lok Sabha Speaker and Madhya Pradesh Governor, Balram Jakhar.
During his tenure as a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha, Jakhar voiced his support for the Congress party on the Rafale issue. Following the unfortunate demise of Vinod Khanna, he contested and won the Lok Sabha by-election in Gurdaspur with an impressive margin of over one lakh votes.
Having served as the Punjab Congress MLA for three consecutive terms from Abohar, Jakhar assumed the responsibility of Leader of the Opposition from 2012 to 2017, a period marked by the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP coalition government in Punjab. However, in the 2017 Punjab Legislative Assembly elections, he faced defeat at the hands of the BJP's Arun Narang.
Sunil Jakhar shares a close association with Captain Amarinder Singh, and during an election campaign, the Captain himself identified Jakhar as a formidable contender for the Chief Minister's position in the future.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Sunil Jakhar contested as a candidate but faced defeat at the hands of BJP's Sunny Deol.
Throughout his political career, Sunil Jakhar has established himself as a prominent leader within the Congress party in Punjab, showcasing his strong political acumen and commitment to public service.
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