Rajinder Kaur Bhattal

Rajinder Kaur Bhattal Biography

Rajinder Kaur Bhattal is a lady politician belonging to Indian National Congress. She is a former Chief Minister of Punjab and 8th female Chief Minister in India. Till now she is the only female chief minister of Punjab. She took over charge after the resignation of Harcharan Singh Brar. Earlier she has served as the Education minister of Chandigarh. She served as the Chief Minister of Punjab during the short period of 10 months from April 1996 – February 1997. Congress party loss power in 1997 State Assembly elections. A scheme to provide grants of free electricity to poor farmers for irrigation purposes was one of the most noted initiatives taken by Bhattal during her short tenure. After she lost the power, Bhattal took over as president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee from Singh Randhawa and also served as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party until November 1998.

She was born in Lahore, Punjab in September, 1945. She was born to S. Heera Singh Bhattal and Harnam Kaur Bhattal. She was married to S. Lal Singh Sidhu and the couple had two children. She has been elected to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in 1980, 1992, 1997, 2002 and 2007. She has served as deputy Chief Minister before being chosen as Chief Minister. During her tenure as an MLA, she has also been a cabinet minister and has served as minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; Food & Supplies, Technical Education, Industrial Training and PWD and Minister of State for Tourism, Cultural Affairs and Archeology.

She has also served as the Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha. General Secretary, Joint Secretary and Member of PPCC, Chairperson of Social Welfare Advisory Board, Punjab and President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee are the senior positions held by her.

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Updated: May 07, 2014