NEW DELHI: Former Indian diplomat, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, who just superannuated as ambassador of India to the US, joined BJP on Tuesday amid speculations of him contesting LS polls from Amritsar. After joining BJP, Sandhu emphasised on improvement in India-US ties in past few years, particularly in advanced and critical technology like semiconductor industry, underlining the importance of diplomatic successes for country’s development.He hoped for the progress to extend to his hometown, Amritsar, giving boost to speculations of him taking poll battlefield.
Sandhu, after joining the party in presence of national general secretaries Vinod Tawde and Tarun Chugh, expressed gratitude to PM Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, and party president J P Nadda for providing him with the opportunity to start his political journey.
“In past 10 years, I worked under PM Modi’s leadership, especially in the relationship with US and Sri Lanka. PM is development-focused and that is much needed today. It should reach Amritsar too,” Sandhu said. Sandhu is the grandson of Teja Singh Samundari, who was a freedom fighter and played a pivotal role in gurdwara reform movement.
He served as India’s ambassador to US from 2020 to 2024, and managed highs and lows in bilateral relationship since PM Modi’s state visit last June to rising Sikh extremism abroad in the backdrop of the alleged murder plot against Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.