Accompanied by EAM Jaishankar, diplomat-turned-politician Sandhu files nomination from Amritsar

Amritsar, May 10 (IANS) Accompanied by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, BJP candidate Taranjit Singh Sandhu filed his nomination from the Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency on Friday. 

The diplomat-turned-politician, who is making his electoral debut, also held a roadshow with Jaishankar before filing his papers.

Exuding confidence that the former Indian Ambassador to the US will win the elections, Jaishankar said, “We have full confidence that the people of Amritsar will elect Sandhu and send him to Delhi. He will be a very good MP. He has been the most popular Ambassador of India."

“He has brought many laurels to the nation as a diplomat. He will now bring the same energy and enthusiasm for serving the Guru Nagari, Amritsar,” Jaishankar added.

Starting his day before dawn, Sandhu first offered prayers at the Chhevin Patshahi Gurdwara before visiting the Ram Dham Mandir here.

Sandhu joined the BJP on March 19, almost two months after he wrapped up his term in office in Washington DC.

During his campaigns, Sandhu, a 1988-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer who shared a video of his interaction with US President Joe Biden during his stint as the US Ambassador, focused on addressing the issues of the farmers settled along the India-Pakistan border.

During his recent visit close to the Zero Line at Zirpur village in Amritsar district, Sandhu interacted with the local farmers and listened to their issues, besides sharing his vision to revamp the border areas.

Sandhu is the grandson of former Congress leader and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) founder-member, Teja Singh Samundri.

His father, Bishan Singh Samundri, was the founding Vice-Chancellor of the Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar. His mother Jagjit Kaur was the principal of the Government College for Women in Amritsar.

His grandfather quit the British Army to join the Independence and gurdwara reform movements.

Polling in Punjab's 13 Lok Sabha seats will be held in a single phase on June 1.

--IANS

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