Congress demeaned my husband’s sacrifice: Karamjit Chaudhary

Aparna Banerji

Jalandhar, May 4

BJP leader Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary, wife of deceased Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary, said today that her defeat in the 2023 Jalandhar bypoll was due to a conspiracy by a coterie of Congress leaders, including Jalandhar Congress candidate Charanjit Singh Channi, who wanted to decimate the Chaudhary family and her son, Phillaur Congress MLA Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary.

Addressing media in the presence of senior BJP leaders, including Manoranjan Kalia, KD Bhandari and Jalandhar BJP candidate Sushil Rinku, Chaudhary said in the wake of the demise of her husband Santokh Chaudhary (who died during the Jalandhar leg of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra last year) and her defeat in the Jalandhar bypoll, the Congress’ national leadership demeaned her and disrespected her husband’s sacrifice. On Congress candidate Charanjit Singh Channi, she said he caused damage wherever he went and warned him that he too would be targeted.

Chaudhary said, “There was a conspiracy to decimate us by a Congress coterie of strategists, including Channi, from different districts. When I got the ticket they though let it be, and planned to decimate me in the election. They tried to prove to the high command that Chaudhary family couldn’t even muster sympathy vote. I would have won if local Cong leadership stood by me.”

She added, “Our family have been loyal to the Congress for over seven decades. But after someone’s (Santokh Chaudhary’s) demise, you disregard and disrespect their decades’ long service. Following the bypoll defeat, for one year I kept seeking time from the high command — party president Malikarjun Kharge, general secretary KC Venugopal and senior leader Sonia Gandhi — to discuss reasons. When I got chance, I was told Chaudhary’s death was due to age and health issues and the yatra was just a means to it. I felt the supreme sacrifice of my husband was demeaned.”

Targeting Charanjit Singh Channi, she said, “After my husband’s demise I could sense that Channi ji wanted to lay his claim for Jalandhar ticket. He made a swift entry into Jalandhar and when the ticket was allocated to me, then a new script was written. Channi accompanied me to many places (during campaign) and used to ask Jalandhar citizens to adopt him and accept him which I found an odd thing for a former CM to say.”