Former Indian Ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, has officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday. Speculations suggest that he might be fielded as the BJP candidate from the prestigious Amritsar Lok Sabha seat. Sandhu's entry into the political arena comes amidst the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) nominating Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal as its candidate from Amritsar. In the previous 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Congress' Gurjeet Singh Aujla clinched victory by a margin of nearly 1 lakh votes against Hardeep Singh Puri.
Taranjit Singh Sandhu brings a wealth of experience to the political forefront. He served as India's Ambassador to the United States from February 2020 to January 2024, showcasing expertise in US affairs owing to his tenure in the Indian Mission in Washington DC. Prior to this, Sandhu held the post of High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka from January 2017 to January 2020 and also served as Consul General of India in Frankfurt from September 2011 to July 2013.
Sandhu's diplomatic journey commenced in the former Soviet Union (Russia) as Third Secretary (Political) / Second Secretary (Commercial) from 1990 to 1992. He has also contributed significantly to the Ministry of External Affairs in various roles, including Joint Secretary (UN) and Joint Secretary (Administration).
Born on 23 January 1963, Sandhu received his education from The Lawrence School, Sanawar, St. Stephens' College, Delhi, and Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
With Sandhu's entry into the political spectrum and the BJP's intention to contest in Punjab, a state where it has been working to expand its influence, the upcoming Lok Sabha elections are anticipated to witness heightened competition. Punjab, comprising 11 Lok Sabha seats, saw the BJP securing 2 seats in the previous 2019 elections.