Gurpreet Kaur Mann has also courted controversies with the Opposition Congress questioning the ruling AAP over its promises.
Monday, TDBE Desk: With Bhagwant Mann busy fulfilling his duties as the Punjab Chief minister, his wife Dr Gurpreet Kaur Mann has been attending government and private functions, in the state, especially in his constituency, Dhuri.
Recently on Dussehra, she was seen at a function in Dhuri as Mann attended another event in Hoshiarpur.
During the event, Gurpreet Mann said Mann had only one dream that Dhuri’s and Punjab’s development should continue. “There should be no dearth of anything. We are on it. Whenever we get to know that previous governments had not done anything for certain areas, we get on to it,” she said.
Political watchers have been keeping an eye on Gurpreet, who got married to Mann in July last year, if she would emerge as a power centre. In the past, the wives of several former chief ministers of Punjab have taken active roles in politics along with their husbands.
Although she did not contest any elections, former CM Parkash Singh Badal’s wife Surinder Kaur Badal was known for her influence over the senior Badal and also her son Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Preneet Kaur, the wife of Amarinder Singh, is a politician and the sitting MP from Patiala. The wife of another former CM Charanjit Singh, Kamaljeet Kaur, who is also a doctor, however, stayed away from politics.
While the ruling Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) constitution does not allow family members to contest elections, it remains to be seen whether Dr Gurpreet Kaur Mann jumps into active politics or remains content with supporting her husband in looking after his constituency.
For now, she has been visiting MLAs, congratulating them.
For instance, she was seen at Jaitu MLA Amolak Singh’s house to congratulate him on the birth of his daughter. She was also seen visiting Sangrur MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj to congratulate her on her son’s birth. A few days ago she was also seen in Balachaur to condole the death of former MLA Ram Krishan Kataria.
Also, she was in Dhuri to congratulate four girls who cleared the PCS (Judicial) examination.
Gurpreet Kaur Mann has not been far from controversies with the Opposition Congress questioning the “badlav” (change) the ruling AAP promised.
This came after Gurpreet Kaur was accorded a welcome by Patiala Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney and Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police Varun Sharma in August. Before that, an upgrade in her security cover in February had also raised eyebrows.
A source close to CM Bhagwant Mann said Gurpreet Kaur is now at ease addressing people and facing the camera.
“She is turning into a confident leader. She may or may not jump into politics, but she is creating her own identity. We do not know if she has a political ambition or not, but people take notice of her,” said the source.
