Will try to get special package for Amritsar, says Sandhu

Amritsar, March 30

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The BJP announced former diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu — with family background associated with Gurdwara ‘Sudhar Lehar’ (Gurdwara Reform Movement) — as its candidate from Amritsar Lok Sabha seat on Saturday. He had formally joined the BJP on March 19. He has been camping in Amritsar for the past some weeks.

After Navjot Singh Sidhu, cricketer-turned-politician, BJP stalwart Arun Jaitley and former IFS officer Hardeer Singh Puri, Sandhu is another high-profile candidate fielded by the saffron party.

A 1988-batch IFS officer, Taranjit is the grandson of SGPC founder member Teja Singh Samundri, who was also a Congress leader. Teja Singh was jailed by the British for participating in the Gurdwara Reform and Civil Disobedience movements. Taranjit’s father Bishan Singh was the founding Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University.

Thanking senior BJP leaders for making him the party nominee, he said he would put in sincere efforts for the all-round planned development of Amritsar. A special package would be sought from the Centre. The towns around the city would also be developed with the support of the central government.