In Santokh Chaudhary’s demise, Punjab Cong loses its key Dalit face - Hindustan Times
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In Santokh Chaudhary’s demise, Punjab Cong loses its key Dalit face

ByAneesha Sareen Kumar
Jan 15, 2023 12:20 AM IST

The veteran Congress leader, Santokh Singh Chaudhary, who belonged to a family having rich political legacy, was a three-time MLA and two-time MP

Ludhiana : A rich political career spanning over four decades came to a sudden end with the passing away of Santokh Singh Chaudhary, 76, a key Dalit leader of the Doaba region, during the Bharat Jodo Yatra on Saturday.

A rich political career spanning over four decades came to a sudden end with the passing away of Santokh Singh Chaudhary, 76, a key Dalit leader of the Doaba region, during the Bharat Jodo Yatra on Saturday.
A rich political career spanning over four decades came to a sudden end with the passing away of Santokh Singh Chaudhary, 76, a key Dalit leader of the Doaba region, during the Bharat Jodo Yatra on Saturday.

The veteran Congress leader, who belonged to a family having rich political legacy, was a three-time MLA and two-time MP. He contested the assembly elections in 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007 and 2012 and won thrice. He remained a minister in the Beant Singh government in 1992 and the Capt Amarinder Singh government in 2002.

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Such has been the clout of Chaudhary clan in Dalit politics of Doaba that the family has contested every Punjab assembly election since 1936.

Chaudhary, whose political career remained largely non-controversial, was the son of former Punjab agriculture minister Master Gurbanta Singh and the brother of former local government minister Chaudhary Jagjit Singh.

Master Gurbanta Singh was a seven-time MLA and he last won an election in 1972 when he was elected unopposed. Master Gurbanta was a five-time MLA, whereas Santokh Singh Chaudhary won thrice and Jagjit’s son Surinder Singh was elected to the assembly once.

Vikramjit Singh, Chaudhary’s son, is the family’s 16th representative in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, which also happens to be the state’s 16th assembly. Vikramjit won the 2022 state polls from the constituency represented by his father, Phillaur.

Chaudhary started his political career in 1978 when he became the senior vice-president of the Punjab Youth Congress and rose from the ranks over the years. In 1987, he was appointed as the president of the District Congress Committee (Rural).

The veteran Congress leader won his first assembly election from Phillaur in 1992. The first-time MLA then, Chaudhary was appointed the minister of state for health and family welfare, and cabinet minister for food and civil supplies. He was also elected as the general secretary of the Punjab Congress Legislature Party the same year.

In 1997, he was elected as the general secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee and remained on the post for a year.

In 2002, during the Capt Amarinder Singh government, he was the cabinet minister for social security and child development, social welfare, medical education and research department.

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