PM, Shah attend reception of Sunil Jakhar’s grandson
In clear signs of Sunil Jakhar's growing importance in the state and saffron politics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the entire top party brass attended a private ceremony Punjab BJP president hosted in the capital on Wednesday night.
The PM, who was in Prayagraj earlier in the day to take a holy dip at the Sangam, arrived for the wedding reception of Jakhar's grandson Jai Veer after 9.30 pm. He blessed the couple, posed for pictures with the Jakhar family and interacted briefly with the guests before leaving.
Walking in his SPG security ring, Modi specially called out for former Haryana CM and Congress veteran Bhupinder Singh Hooda who was part of the gathering and his son Deepender.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah who came earlier than the PM spent more time with the Jakhars. BJP president JP Nadda, Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Dharmendra Pradhan, Bhupender Yadav, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Jitendra Singh also attended the function.
All BJP leaders paid respects to Bada Gurinder Singh Dhillon, the spiritual head of Radha Soami Satsang Dera Beas, who was among the most prominent guests at the gathering.
Leaders across party lines were in attendance, including Ashwani Kumar, Kapil Sibal, Mukul Wasnik, Randeep Surjewala, Amarinder Singh's daughter Jai Inder Kaur, Manpreet Badal, Anurag Thakur and Capt Abhimanyu.
The most significant take away from Jakhar family's private event was the presence of the entire senior saffron leadership in a sign of their trust in Punjab unit president who had submitted his resignation from the post last year. Jakhar had even met Modi and cited concerns about unresolved issues related to the state.
Modi's presence at Jakhar's ceremony means Jakhar is here to stay and may even be heard in Punjab where the BJP plans to focus big after the February 8 Delhi poll results.
