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'''Rajinder Kaur Bhattal''' born 30 September in [[Lahore]] [[Pakistan]] was the Chief Minister of [[Punjab,_India|Punjab]] from 21 January 1996 to 12 February 1997. |
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|name = Rajinder Kaur Bhattal |
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|office = [[Chief Ministers of Punjab (India)|Chief Minister of Punjab]] |
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|term_start = April 1996 |
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|term_end = February 1997 |
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|alongside = <!--For two or more people serving in the same position from the same district. (e.g. United States Senators.)--> |
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|succeeding = <!--For President-elect or equivalent--> |
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|predecessor = [[Harcharan Singh Brar]] |
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|successor = [[Parkash Singh Badal]] |
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|birth_place = [[Lahore]] |
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|party = [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] |
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'''Rajinder Kaur Bhattal''' is an [[India]]n [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] politician. Born in [[Lahore]], the daughter of Sardar Hira Singh Bhattal, she was the first female Chief Minister of the Indian state of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]].<ref name=transformative /> |
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== Political career == |
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In 1994, Bhattal was a state education minister in [[Chandigarh]].<ref name=slapped>{{citation|work=[[The Gadsden Times]]|title=Teachers strike after one is slapped|date=May 27, 1994}}</ref> |
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Bhattal became the first female Chief Minister of [[Punjab]] when she took office after the resignation of [[Harcharan Singh Brar]],<ref name=transformative>{{cite book|last1=Bouton|first1=Marshall M.|last2=Oldenburg|first2=Philip|title=India briefing: a transformative fifty years|page=275|year=1999|publisher=M.E. Sharpe|isbn=978-0765603395}}</ref> serving from April 1996 to February 1997, the eighth female Chief Minister in Indian history.<ref name=ChiefMinisterDates>{{citation|work=[[Outlook (magazine)|Outlook Magazine]]|title=Mamata Banerjee to be India's 14th Woman CM|date=May 17, 2011|accessdate=July 11, 2011|url=http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?722255}}</ref> Her initiatives as Chief Minister of Punjab included, in December 1996, a scheme to provide grants of free electricity to small farmers in order to power wells.<ref name=FreePowerForWells>{{citation|work=The Tribune|date=December 17, 2001|accessdate=July 11, 2011|title=Aftermath of free power bonanza to Punjab farmers|last=Dhillon|first=G.S.|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20011217/agro.htm#1}}</ref> |
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After the Congress party lost the February 1997 Assembly elections in Punjab, bringing an end to her term as Chief Minister, Bhattal took over as president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee from Singh Randhawa in May,<ref name=ChiefPostIndianExpress>{{citation|work=[[The Indian Express]]|title=Randhawa quits Punjab Congress chief post|date=May 19, 1997|accessdate=July 11, 2011|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/ie/daily/19970519/13950243.html}}</ref> and then as leader of the Congress Legislature Party until November 1998, when she was ousted from her position and replaced by Chaudhary Jagjit Singh.<ref name=QuestionsRemovalExpressNews>{{citation|work=[[The Indian Express]]|title=Bhattal questions her removal|date=November 28, 1998|accessdate=July 11, 2011|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19981128/33350214.html}}</ref> Her ousting, amid claims of misleading statements about the involvement of the Congress leadership,<ref name=QuestionsRemovalExpressNews /> was followed by a protracted dispute with [[Amarinder Singh]], who had succeeded her as Punjab Congress president, and who was seen as responsible for her removal. By 2003, Bhattal had publicly pledged to remove Singh from his position as Chief Minister, and was backed by dozens of dissident [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]]s from the Congress party.<ref name=SignedListEconomicTimes>{{citation|work=[[The Economic Times]]|title=Bhattal to give signed list of disgruntled legislators|date=December 12, 2003|accessdate=July 11, 2011|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2003-12-12/news/27531319_1_rajinder-kaur-bhattal-bhattal-group-mlas}}</ref> The dispute saw intervention from the central command of the Congress party in New Delhi, with [[Sonia Gandhi]] taking a hand in negotiations. Initially the dissident group led by Bhattal rejected any solution other than the removal of Singh.<ref name=DissidentsMayTheTribune>{{citation|work=[[The Tribune]]|last=Dhaliwal|first=Sarbjit|title=Dissidents may go on Bharat Darshan|date=December 17, 2003|accessdate=July 11, 2011|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20031218/main8.htm}}</ref> |
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In January 2004, Bhattal accepted a position as deputy chief minister of Punjab, with other dissidents also taking roles in the cabinet, in a bid to heal the divisions.<ref name=DeputyCMTimesOfIndia>{{citation|work=[[The Times of India]]|title=Bhattal deputy CM, expansion soon|date=January 7, 2004|accessdate=July 11, 2011|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-01-07/chandigarh/28345668_1_rajinder-kaur-bhattal-mohsina-kidwai-chief-minister}}</ref> Denying that the dissidents had made demands in order to gain these concessions, Bhattal said that she had accepted the post because Sonia Gandhi had asked her to do so.<ref name=AcceptsDeputyCMTimesOfIndia>{{citation|work=[[The Times of India]]|title=Bhattal speaks to reporters on Amarinder|date=January 10, 2004|accessdate=July 11, 2011|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-01-10/chandigarh/28342441_1_punjab-agriculture-minister-rajinder-kaur-bhattal-chief-minister}}</ref> In March 2007, Bhattal became leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Punjab Vidhan Sabha.<ref name=LeaderOfCLPTheHindu>{{citation|work=[[The Hindu]]|title=Bhattal elected leader of CLP|date=March 12, 2007|accessdate=July 11, 2011|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200703121551.htm}}</ref> The dispute rumbled on, however, and in April 2008 the party high command once again had to intervene, this time asking both Singh and Bhattal to cease speaking to the media about their disagreements.<ref name=HighCommandPunjabNewsline>{{cite web|title=Congress high command brings truce between Amarinder, Bhattal|url=http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/10085/38/|last=Bains|first=Satinder|date=April 23, 2008|accessdate=July 11, 2011|work=Punjab Newsline}}</ref> |
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During this period, Bhattal also saw off attempted prosecutions, with a court acquitting her of corruption charges in April 2008.<ref name=WontFightIndianExpress>{{citation|work=[[The Indian Express]]|title=Badal Govt won’t fight Bhattal clean chit|date=April 2, 2008|accessdate=July 11, 2011|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/badal-govt-wont-fight-bhattal-clean-chit/291237/}}</ref> Continuing as Punjab Congress leader, she also took credit for successfully pressuring the administration of [[Parkash Singh Badal]] to introduce a debt waiver scheme for farmers.<ref name=ThanksCentreTheHindu>{{citation|work=[[The Hindu]]|title=Bhattal thanks Centre for debt relief scheme for farmers|date=February 29, 2008|accessdate=July 11, 2011|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200802291968.htm}}</ref> |
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As of June 2011, Bhattal remains the Punjab Congress Legislature Party leader.<ref name=SchoolGrantsPunjabNewsline>{{cite web|title=Bhattal calls for immediate release of grant to aided schools|url=http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/bhattal-calls-immediate-release-grant-aided-schools/31700|date=June 18, 2011|accessdate=July 11, 2011|work=Punjab Newsline}}</ref> |
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== References == |
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{{reflist}} |
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Rajinder was the First Woman Chief Minister of Punjab. She belongs to a family of martyrs who have given their life for the love of the land. She is the daughter of Sardar Hira Singh Bhattal who was more commonly known as "Babaji" and he fought the battle of freedom of India and was shoulder to shoulder with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, was always awed by the fast and agile way of Babaji's working. Rajinder Kaur Bhattal has been steering the congress bandwagon as a minister in various portfolios and President of Punjab PCC for a brief period of time has been an untiring and loyal worker of the All India Congress Party. The Congress lost the 1997 Assembly elections in Punjab, but swept back into power 5 years later. Rajinder maintained a strong rivalry with Captain Amarinder Singh, but it was Singh who got the Chief Minister's post, while Rajinder served as his Deputy Chief Minister. Following the 2007 loss of the Congress government, Rajinder served as both PCC President again and Leader of the Opposition. But later in 2008 she was removed from the post of President of [[Punjab PCC]] |
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[[Category:Politicians from Punjab (Pakistan)]] |
[[Category:Politicians from Punjab (Pakistan)]] |
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Revision as of 00:39, 14 July 2011
Rajinder Kaur Bhattal | |
|---|---|
| Chief Minister of Punjab | |
| In office April 1996 – February 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Harcharan Singh Brar |
| Succeeded by | Parkash Singh Badal |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Lahore |
| Political party | Congress |
Rajinder Kaur Bhattal is an Indian Congress politician. Born in Lahore, the daughter of Sardar Hira Singh Bhattal, she was the first female Chief Minister of the Indian state of Punjab.[1]
Political career
In 1994, Bhattal was a state education minister in Chandigarh.[2] Bhattal became the first female Chief Minister of Punjab when she took office after the resignation of Harcharan Singh Brar,[1] serving from April 1996 to February 1997, the eighth female Chief Minister in Indian history.[3] Her initiatives as Chief Minister of Punjab included, in December 1996, a scheme to provide grants of free electricity to small farmers in order to power wells.[4]
After the Congress party lost the February 1997 Assembly elections in Punjab, bringing an end to her term as Chief Minister, Bhattal took over as president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee from Singh Randhawa in May,[5] and then as leader of the Congress Legislature Party until November 1998, when she was ousted from her position and replaced by Chaudhary Jagjit Singh.[6] Her ousting, amid claims of misleading statements about the involvement of the Congress leadership,[6] was followed by a protracted dispute with Amarinder Singh, who had succeeded her as Punjab Congress president, and who was seen as responsible for her removal. By 2003, Bhattal had publicly pledged to remove Singh from his position as Chief Minister, and was backed by dozens of dissident MLAs from the Congress party.[7] The dispute saw intervention from the central command of the Congress party in New Delhi, with Sonia Gandhi taking a hand in negotiations. Initially the dissident group led by Bhattal rejected any solution other than the removal of Singh.[8]
In January 2004, Bhattal accepted a position as deputy chief minister of Punjab, with other dissidents also taking roles in the cabinet, in a bid to heal the divisions.[9] Denying that the dissidents had made demands in order to gain these concessions, Bhattal said that she had accepted the post because Sonia Gandhi had asked her to do so.[10] In March 2007, Bhattal became leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Punjab Vidhan Sabha.[11] The dispute rumbled on, however, and in April 2008 the party high command once again had to intervene, this time asking both Singh and Bhattal to cease speaking to the media about their disagreements.[12]
During this period, Bhattal also saw off attempted prosecutions, with a court acquitting her of corruption charges in April 2008.[13] Continuing as Punjab Congress leader, she also took credit for successfully pressuring the administration of Parkash Singh Badal to introduce a debt waiver scheme for farmers.[14]
As of June 2011, Bhattal remains the Punjab Congress Legislature Party leader.[15]
References
- ^ a b Bouton, Marshall M.; Oldenburg, Philip (1999). India briefing: a transformative fifty years. M.E. Sharpe. p. 275. ISBN 978-0765603395.
- ^ "Teachers strike after one is slapped", The Gadsden Times, May 27, 1994
- ^ "Mamata Banerjee to be India's 14th Woman CM", Outlook Magazine, May 17, 2011, retrieved July 11, 2011
- ^ Dhillon, G.S. (December 17, 2001), "Aftermath of free power bonanza to Punjab farmers", The Tribune, retrieved July 11, 2011
- ^ "Randhawa quits Punjab Congress chief post", The Indian Express, May 19, 1997, retrieved July 11, 2011
- ^ a b "Bhattal questions her removal", The Indian Express, November 28, 1998, retrieved July 11, 2011
- ^ "Bhattal to give signed list of disgruntled legislators", The Economic Times, December 12, 2003, retrieved July 11, 2011
- ^ Dhaliwal, Sarbjit (December 17, 2003), "Dissidents may go on Bharat Darshan", The Tribune, retrieved July 11, 2011
- ^ "Bhattal deputy CM, expansion soon", The Times of India, January 7, 2004, retrieved July 11, 2011
- ^ "Bhattal speaks to reporters on Amarinder", The Times of India, January 10, 2004, retrieved July 11, 2011
- ^ "Bhattal elected leader of CLP", The Hindu, March 12, 2007, retrieved July 11, 2011
- ^ Bains, Satinder (April 23, 2008). "Congress high command brings truce between Amarinder, Bhattal". Punjab Newsline. Retrieved July 11, 2011.
- ^ "Badal Govt won't fight Bhattal clean chit", The Indian Express, April 2, 2008, retrieved July 11, 2011
- ^ "Bhattal thanks Centre for debt relief scheme for farmers", The Hindu, February 29, 2008, retrieved July 11, 2011
- ^ "Bhattal calls for immediate release of grant to aided schools". Punjab Newsline. June 18, 2011. Retrieved July 11, 2011.