Proponents of dynastic politics in democratic India crowned a new poster-boy on Wednesday as Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal’s 47 year old Sukhbir Singh Badal was sworn in as the former’s deputy, the first instance of a father and son sharing the top two posts in a government.
The beaming Sukhbir was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor SF Rodrigues at a showy ceremony attended by several leaders of NDA principal BJP.
Present on the occasion were BJP chief Rajnath Singh, Vasundra Raje Scindia, MP Navjot Singh Sidhu and state unit chief Rajinder Bhandari.
Conspicuous by his absence was NDA prime ministerial hopeful LK Advani, who, till recently, was known to be a vociferous critic of the dynastic politics.
Hit by dissent and in no mood to stir the all-powerful Badals in Punjab, the BJP central leadership overruled several objections by the party state unit, paving the way for Sukhbir’s unprecedented appointment.
Sukhbir, dressed in white kurta-pyjama, black jacket and blue turban, read out the oath in Punjabi. His induction comes nearly a year after he took over as SAD president marking a generational shift in one of the oldest regional parties in the country.
The large audience broke into loud cheers and sound of drumbeats and crackers rent the air as the US-educated Sukhbir bent down to touch his father's feet while his mother Surinder Kaur, wife Harsimrat Kaur and other members of the Badal clan looked on.
Speaking to the media later in the day, Chief Minister dismissed fears of the move perpetuating dynastic rule, saying "young blood" deserved a chance to actively participate in governance.
Sukhbir too rubbished the suggestions.
The beaming Sukhbir was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor SF Rodrigues at a showy ceremony attended by several leaders of NDA principal BJP.
Present on the occasion were BJP chief Rajnath Singh, Vasundra Raje Scindia, MP Navjot Singh Sidhu and state unit chief Rajinder Bhandari.
Conspicuous by his absence was NDA prime ministerial hopeful LK Advani, who, till recently, was known to be a vociferous critic of the dynastic politics.
Hit by dissent and in no mood to stir the all-powerful Badals in Punjab, the BJP central leadership overruled several objections by the party state unit, paving the way for Sukhbir’s unprecedented appointment.
Sukhbir, dressed in white kurta-pyjama, black jacket and blue turban, read out the oath in Punjabi. His induction comes nearly a year after he took over as SAD president marking a generational shift in one of the oldest regional parties in the country.
The large audience broke into loud cheers and sound of drumbeats and crackers rent the air as the US-educated Sukhbir bent down to touch his father's feet while his mother Surinder Kaur, wife Harsimrat Kaur and other members of the Badal clan looked on.
Speaking to the media later in the day, Chief Minister dismissed fears of the move perpetuating dynastic rule, saying "young blood" deserved a chance to actively participate in governance.
Sukhbir too rubbished the suggestions.
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