Sunil Kumar Jakhar (born 9 February 1954) is an Indian politician and president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Punjab unit since 4th July 2023.[1] Jakhar, hailing from an established political family, is noted politically for his clean image and bluntness.[2][3][4] Elected consecutively three times from Abohar Assembly constituency (2002-2017), he was the Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha from 2012 to 2015.[5] Jakhar was a Member of Parliament from the Gurdaspur constituency from 2017 to 2019.[6]
Sunil Kumar Jakhar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President of Bharatiya Janata Party, Punjab | |
| Assumed office 4 July 2023 - | |
| Preceded by | Ashwini Sharma |
| Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
| In office 15 December 2017 – 23 May 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Vinod Khanna |
| Succeeded by | Sunny Deol |
| Constituency | Gurdaspur |
| President Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee | |
| In office 4 May 2017 – 18 July 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Amarinder Singh |
| Succeeded by | Navjot Singh Sidhu |
| Leader of the opposition in Punjab Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 14 March 2012 – 11 December 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Rajinder Kaur Bhattal |
| Succeeded by | Charanjit Singh Channi |
| Member of Punjab Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 2002–2017 | |
| Preceded by | Ram Kumar Goyal |
| Succeeded by | Arun Narang |
| Constituency | Abohar |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 February 1954 (age 70) Panjkosi, Punjab, India |
| Political party | Bharatiya Janata Party (2022–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Indian National Congress (1990 – 2022) |
| Spouse | Silvia Jakhar |
| Relations | Sandeep Jakhar (nephew) |
| Parent | Balram Jakhar |
| Residence(s) | Panjkosi, Punjab, India |
| Alma mater | Government College, Chandigarh (BA) Kurukshetra University (MBA) |
In his long politcal career, Jakhar has served in various offices and posts. He was a member of the Indian National Congress (INC) for five decades until 2022. Previously, Jakhar was the president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee from 2017 to 2021. Following the ouster of Amarinder Singh as Chief Minister of Punjab in 2021, Jakhar was a front runner to replace him as Chief Minister; however, the INC leadership did not select him for the office.[7] In May 2022, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claiming that he wanted to support "nationalism, unity and brotherhood in Punjab".[8] Jakhar is the only Punjab politician to have lead the state units of both INC and BJP.[9]
Early life and background
Jakhar was born on 9th February 1954 in Panjkosi village of Fazilka district in Punjab and his family belongs to Punjabi Hindu Jat community.[2] Hailing from a political family, several of Jakhar’s family members have been involved in politics. His father was Balram Jakhar, a prominent Indian politician of the Congress party, who served as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and founded the Bharatiya Krishak Samaj, a farmers' organization. Jakhar is the youngest of his father's three sons. Jakhar's eldest brother, Sajjan Kumar Jakhar served as a minister in the Beant Singh's Punjab government (1992-1995). His other brother, Surinder Jakhar, served as chairman IFFCO for four terms before his accidental death in 2011.[10] Jakhar’s nephew, Sandeep Jakhar, the son of his brother Surinder, is also a politician.[11]
Sunil Jakhar obtained a Bachelor of Arts from the Government College, Chandigarh; and did his post graduate Masters of Business Administration program from Kurukshetra University.[12]
Political career
According to some political analysts, Sunil Jakhar’s strengths are related to his ‘clean-image’, articulate approach, and polite attitude.[2]
Indian National Congress
Jakhar began his career as a member of the Indian National Congress (INC). first became a member of Punjab Vidhan Sabha from Abohar Assembly constituency in 2002.[5] In 2007 and 2012, he was re-elected from Abohar.[5] He became a Member of Parliament after winning a by-election in Gurdaspur.[5] Jakhar served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha from 2012 to 2015 and as the President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) from 2017 to 2021.[13][14]
In 2021, after the ouster of Amarinder Singh as Chief Minister of Punjab by the INC's leadership, Jakhar was a frontrunner to replace Singh as Chief Minister.[15] However, Jakhar was opposed by Ambika Soni, a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament from the INC, who suggested that the INC should choose a Sikh for the position of Chief Minister.[16] In 2022, Jakhar stated that he is quitting from electoral politics; however, he will remain involved in party politics.[17]
In 2022, Jakhar left the INC on 14 May, days after receiving a notice from the Congress leadership. Earlier in 2022, the Congress leadership removed Jakhar from all party positions after he criticised former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, referring to him as a liability after the PPCC lost the Punjab Legislative Assembly Election in 2022.[17] The day Jakhar left the INC, he criticised the INC's leadership, the INC's leadership for supporting certain politicians in the party, the functioning of the INC and the party's ideology.[18]
Bharatiya Janata Party
He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 19 May 2022 in Delhi. On July 4, 2023, Jakhar was Appointed the president of BJP Punjab, which made him the only Punjab politician to have headed the state units of both the BJP and the INC.[1][9] Jakhar campaigned during the 2024 Indian General Elections.[19] In September 2024, it was reported that Jakhar has resigned as the President of BJP Punjab, due to differences and clashes with other BJP Punjab leaders and their working style.[20] Later in the same month, BJP Punjab stated that the report on Jakhar's resignation is baseless.[21] In November 2024, it was reported that Jakhar had resigned from the presidency and that BJP Punjab was having internal issues due to it.[22] He also did not campaign during the November by-polls taking place in Punjab.[22][23] Jakhar stated that he had submitted his resignation and it was the BJP's central leadership that would make a decision on it.[24] In December 2024, Jakhar stated that his reasons for resigning were due to the BJP's performance in the 2024 General Elections in Punjab and that he had actually asked to resign before the elections but did not due to the upcoming elections.[25]
Controversy
On 7 January 2017, Jakhar sent a complaint to the Punjab chief election officer alleging that local Shiromani Akali Dal leader Shivlal Doda and his nephew Waris / others used seven different mobile numbers while in a Fazilka prison.[26]
Personal life
Jakhar is married to Silvia Jakhar, a citizen of Switzerland and she is based in Delhi.[27] Silvia is reported to remain away from Jakhar's political career.[28]
References
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