‘Focus is to help people... Want to contribute to my city state’
FTaranjit Singh Sandhu, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) earlier this week, is likely to be fielded in the Lok Sabha polls from his hometown Amritsar in Punjab. The 61-year-old former diplomat, who retired from government service in February this year, has worked closely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on key deals, including the $3 billion predator drones and the General Electric Aerospace-Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) agreements. In an interview with Sunetra Choudhury, Sandhu talks about what inspired him to join politics.
When did the idea of entering politics strike you?
I would not really say it’s coming into politics, it’s public service. I think diplomats are also from public service. In the last four years, the relationship between India and the US has become more of a partnership in several areas, like semiconductors... we are also jointly producing GE engines for the Indian Air Force. So, I feel that Amritsar, which is my hometown, should be part of this success story.
Some of your predecessors, like Hardeep Puri and S Jaishankar,
History has had a lot of foreign service officers joining politics. I think each one has played a different role. I think somewhere everybody has contributed something. In particular, I want to contribute to my home city and state and ensure that its residents also get the advantage of the economic resurgence of the world. If you look at International Monetary Fund and World Bank projections, it’s quite clear that India will be playing a major role. There are a lot of opportunities for youngsters in Amritsar and Punjab.
Did you have a chat with Prime Minister Narendra Modi about joining politics?
I’ve worked with him for the last 10 years, and he has inspired me... That’s why I feel that many of these good schemes, positive schemes can be brought to Amritsar, which will help in integration of the country’s development with Punjab.
Your preferred choice of seat for Lok Sabha polls is quite tough.
See, as I told you, public service is public service, but you do have a point. Since my focus is to help people, I am taking the Lok Sabha route and actually reaching out to the people. I am trying to communicate to them what one has been part of, in delivering in Bharat as well as the United States. And that’s what I’m trying to deliver in Amritsar, because I have extensive contacts over the years...