Punjab Gets Youngest MLA, 27-Yr-Old Narinder Kaur Bharaj Wins Sangrur Defeating Congress

Punjab surprised the country in the recently concluded assembly elections for five states, while much of the attention was on the BJP's spectacular victory in Uttar Pradesh. The Aam Aadmi Party had a sweeping victory in the state, on 92 out of the 117 assembly seats, and Bhagwant Mann took oath as the 17th Chief Minister.

On Thursday, the elected Bhagwant Mann and the other newly-elected MLAs took the oath of office.

Youngest MLA of 117-Member Assembly

Narinder Kaur Bharaj's victory is much talked about of all the wins. Winning from the Sangrur constituency, Bharaj is the youngest MLA in the assembly. She defeated Congress member and Cabinet minister Vijay Inder Singla by 36,430 votes.

Bharaj's victory is still the talk of the town for the incredulity of the feat, as she was standing against the heavy leaders, who had experience and money on their side.

Declared Assets

According to The Indian Express report, Bharaj's declared assets were worth Rs 24,409, while 50-year-old Singla, had assets worth Rs 7 crore, while BJP's Arvind Khanna declared Rs 27 crore.

"Chhoti jahi kudi ne vadde vadde thamm gira ditte (a small girl has defeated the big guys)," the party supporters hailed Bharaj's victory.

Confidence Is Silent, Fear Is Loud

Not for one, the 27-year-old felt intimidated by the might of her challengers, she told the media. She campaigned all this while in her scooter along with her mother. The newly-elected MLA says that the elections would not change her approach towards work and people.

"I will remain the same Narinder Kaur Bharaj. People wanted an end to VIP culture, so here I am to do the same," IE quoted her as saying.

Formative Years

Bharaj comes from a farm family, and she carries her village's name as her surname. Her father, Gurnam Singh, owns five acres in Sangrur's Bharaj village. Her elder brother, her only sibling, passed away in 2002.

She holds a Masters's Degree in Sociology from Patiala's Punjabi University a law degree from a local Sangrur college.

27-Yr-Old's Manifesto

Bharaj has been inclined towards the party since 2014. In the Lok Sabha elections that year, she (then 19) worked as the polling agent for Bhagwant Mann. In November 2018, Bharaj was made the Sangrur unit president of the AAP's youth wing.

During her campaigning, Bharaj spoke about the upliftment of women and children. She assured a monthly income of Rs 1,000 to each woman in the state.

"I am from a family of small farmers, and know what it means for a woman to have Rs 1,000 a month in her hand. This would help students pay their bus fare or buy a book; a mother can gift something to her children. We girls from middle-class families understand money's importance," she would say.

She spoke about how development is not limited to constructing roads and buildings but also includes eradicating corruption, uplifting the health and education sector, etc.

Also Read: From Comedian To Face Of Punjab: Journey Of AAP's First CM-Elect Bhagwant Mann