{{short description|Indian politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}} {{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Sunil Kumar Jakhar | image = | image_size = 250px | caption = | birth_date = {{birth-date and age|9 February 1954}} | birth_place = Panjkosi, Punjab, India | office = President of Bharatiya Janata Party, Punjab | term_start = 4 July 2023 | term_end = 28 May 2026 | predecessor = Ashwini Sharma | successor = Kewal Singh Dhillon | president = JP Nadda<br /> Nitin Nabin | office1 = Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | constituency1 = Gurdaspur | predecessor1 = Vinod Khanna | successor1 = Sunny Deol | term_start1 = 15 December 2017 | term_end1 = 23 May 2019 | office2 = President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee | term_start2 = 4 May 2017 | term_end2 = 18 July 2021 | predecessor2 = Amarinder Singh | successor2 = Navjot Singh Sidhu | office3 = Leader of the opposition in the Punjab Legislative Assembly | predecessor3 = Rajinder Kaur Bhattal | successor3 = Charanjit Singh Channi | term_start3 = 14 March 2012 | term_end3 = 11 December 2015 | office4 = Member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly | constituency4 = Abohar | predecessor4 = Ram Kumar Goyal | successor4 = Arun Narang | term_start4 = 2002 | term_end4 = 2017 | party = Bharatiya Janata Party<br>(2022–present) | other_party = Indian National Congress<br>(1990 – 2022) | spouse = Silvia Jakhar | children = | website = | parents = Balram Jakhar | alma_mater = Government College, Chandigarh (BA) <br /> Kurukshetra University (MBA) | relations = Sandeep Jakhar (nephew) }}
'''Sunil Kumar Jakhar''' (born 9 February 1954) is an Indian politician. Jakhar has been serving as the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Punjab unit since 4 July 2023.<ref name= IEJakhar23>{{cite web | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/sunil-jakhar-bjps-punjab-plan-lynchpin-and-chief-seasoned-jat-leader-ex-state-cong-head-8753249/| title=Sunil Jakhar, BJP’s Punjab plan lynchpin and chief: Seasoned Jat leader, ex-state Cong head | publisher=Indian Express | work=Navjeevan Goyal | date= 5 July 2023 | access-date= 5 July 2023}}</ref> Jakhar, hailing from an established political family, is noted politically for his clean image and bluntness.<ref name="PrintJakhar1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tandon |first=Aditi |date=3 October 2024 |title=Change Punjab approach: Jakhar to Modi |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/change-punjab-approach-jakhar-to-modi/ |access-date=2024-12-07 |website=The Tribune |language=en |archive-date=3 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241003162822/https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/change-punjab-approach-jakhar-to-modi/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-02 |title=Ex-Congress Leaders Jaiveer Shergill, Amarinder Singh And Sunil Jakhar Given Key BJP Titles: Who Are They? |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/national/ex-congress-leaders-jaiveer-shergill-amarinder-singh-and-sunil-jakhar-given-key-bjp-titles-news-241835 |access-date=2024-12-07 |website=Outlook |language=en |archive-date=23 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230723202908/https://www.outlookindia.com/national/ex-congress-leaders-jaiveer-shergill-amarinder-singh-and-sunil-jakhar-given-key-bjp-titles-news-241835 |url-status=live }}</ref> Elected consecutively three times from the Abohar Assembly constituency (2002–2017), he was the Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha from 2012 to 2015.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Sehgal |first=Manjeet |date=2022-05-19 |title=Ex-Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar joins BJP: A timeline of his political journey |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/sunil-jakhar-joins-bjp-timeline-of-political-journey-1951498-2022-05-19 |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref> Jakhar was a Member of Parliament from the Gurdaspur constituency from 2017 to 2019.<ref>{{cite web |date=15 October 2017 |title=Congress's Sunil Jakhar wins Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bypoll by huge margin |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/congresss-sunil-jakhar-wins-gurdaspur-lok-sabha-bypoll-by-huge-margin/articleshow/61088466.cms? |access-date=15 October 2017 |work=Vibhor Mohan |publisher=Times of India |archive-date=22 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222033304/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/congresss-sunil-jakhar-wins-gurdaspur-lok-sabha-bypoll-by-huge-margin/articleshow/61088466.cms |url-status=live }}</ref>
In his long political career, Jakhar has served in various offices and posts. He was a member of the Indian National Congress (INC) for five decades until 2022. Previously, Jakhar was the president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee from 2017 to 2021. Following the ouster of Amarinder Singh as Chief Minister of Punjab in 2021, Jakhar was a front runner to replace him as Chief Minister; however, the INC leadership did not select him for the office.<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 March 2022 |title='Ghost of religion': Sunil Jakhar has a warning for Congress in Punjab |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ghost-of-religion-sunil-jakhar-has-a-warning-for-congress-in-punjab-101647502086898.html |access-date=6 December 2024 |website=Hindustan Times}}</ref> In May 2022, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claiming that he wanted to support "nationalism, unity and brotherhood in Punjab".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/days-after-quitting-congress-sunil-jakhar-joins-bjp/articleshow/91659702.cms |title=Days after quitting Congress, Sunil Jakhar joins BJP |publisher=Times of India |date=19 May 2020 |access-date=29 May 2022 |archive-date=29 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529091421/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/days-after-quitting-congress-sunil-jakhar-joins-bjp/articleshow/91659702.cms |url-status=live }}</ref> Jakhar is the only Punjab politician to have led the state units of both the INC and the BJP.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Singh |first=I.P. |date=2024-10-04 |title=Is Sunil Jakhar becoming an enigma for the BJP? |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/sunil-jakhar-the-rising-enigma-in-punjab-politics-and-bjp-dynamics/articleshow/113920468.cms |access-date=2024-12-05 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257 |archive-date=6 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241006100356/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/sunil-jakhar-the-rising-enigma-in-punjab-politics-and-bjp-dynamics/articleshow/113920468.cms |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Early life and background== Sunil Kumar Jakhar was born on 9 February 1954 in Panjkosi village of Fazilka district in Punjab and his family belongs to Punjabi Hindu Jat community.<ref name="PrintJakhar1">{{cite web |last=Krishnan |first=Revathi |date=22 September 2021 |title=Sunil Jakhar, Punjab leader from political dynasty that doesn't come up in everyday conversation |url=https://theprint.in/politics/sunil-jakhar-punjab-leader-from-political-dynasty-that-doesnt-come-up-in-everyday-conversation/737602/ |access-date=29 May 2022 |publisher=The Print |archive-date=30 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530042404/https://theprint.in/politics/sunil-jakhar-punjab-leader-from-political-dynasty-that-doesnt-come-up-in-everyday-conversation/737602/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Hailing from a political family, several of Jakhar's family members have been involved in politics. His father was Balram Jakhar, a prominent Indian politician of the Indian National Congress (INC), who served as the Longest serving Speaker of the Lok Sabha and founded the Bharatiya Krishak Samaj, a farmers' organization. Jakhar is the youngest of his father's three sons. Jakhar's eldest brother, Sajjan Kumar Jakhar served as a minister in the Beant Singh's Punjab government (1992–1995). His other brother, Surinder Jakhar, served as the chairman of the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) for four terms before his accidental death in 2011.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Service |first=Tribune News |title=Sandeep fourth Jakhar to enter election arena |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/sandeep-fourth-jakhar-to-enter-election-arena-361597 |access-date=2022-04-26 |website=Tribuneindia News Service |language=en |archive-date=26 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220426165856/https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/sandeep-fourth-jakhar-to-enter-election-arena-361597 |url-status=live }}</ref> Jakhar's nephew, Sandeep Jakhar, the son of his brother Surinder, is also a politician.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 October 2024 |title=MLA Sandeep Jakhar keeps family tradition alive, joins queue to cast vote at Panjkosi village |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/mla-sandeep-jakhar-keeps-family-tradition-alive-joins-queue-to-cast-vote-at-panjkosi-village/ |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=The Tribune |language=en}}</ref>
Jakhar obtained a Bachelor of Arts from the Government College, Chandigarh; and did his post graduate Masters of Business Administration program from Kurukshetra University.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sunil Jakhar is a big Hindu face of the politics of Punjab, father was the Governor along with the Speaker of the Lok Sabha |url=https://www.newsncr.com/national/sunil-jakhar-profile-sunil-jakhar-is-a-big-hindu-face-of-the-politics-of-punjab-father-was-the-governor-along-with-the-speaker-of-the-lok-sabha/ |date=2022-01-23 |access-date=2022-05-29 |website=NCRNews |language=en |archive-date=23 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220123054829/https://www.newsncr.com/national/sunil-jakhar-profile-sunil-jakhar-is-a-big-hindu-face-of-the-politics-of-punjab-father-was-the-governor-along-with-the-speaker-of-the-lok-sabha/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Allegations of Caste Discrimination== Sunil Jakhar has been criticised for remarks concerning Charanjit Singh Channi’s academic work. Jakhar stated that Channi had written a doctoral thesis analysing the Congress party’s electoral defeat. However, Channi’s PhD thesis is titled “Indian National Congress: A Study of Central Organisation and Electoral Strategies in the Lok Sabha Elections since 2004,” and does not focus on a single electoral loss.
Jakhar has also faced criticism for earlier comments directed at Channi that some observers and political opponents interpreted as caste-based. These included a remark suggesting that individuals who should have been “kept at upper caste people’s feet” were instead “put on their heads.” Critics have linked these remarks with Jakhar’s statements about Channi’s thesis, alleging a pattern of derogatory commentary, while Jakhar has not publicly acknowledged any caste-based intent.<ref>{{cite news |title=‘Objectionable’ remark against Dalits: National SC panel orders FIR against Sunil Jakhar |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/objectionable-remark-against-dalits-national-sc-panel-orders-fir-against-sunil-jakhar-congress-channi-7869065/ |access-date=24 January 2026 |work=The Indian Express |date=14 April 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
Congress MLA from the Balluana constituency in Fazilka district wrote to Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Sunil Jakhar alleging that his authority in the constituency was being undermined. In the letter, the MLA stated that he felt “insulted” because his decisions were not being implemented and requested that Jakhar appoint another person to take charge of the constituency. He also alleged that he was being targeted because of his Scheduled Caste background.<ref>{{cite news |title=Feeling insulted in my constituency, you can appoint someone else: Balluana MLA to PPCC chief |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ludhiana/punjab-feeling-insulted-constituency-appoint-someone-else-balluana-mla-ppcc-chief-5335554/ |access-date=24 January 2026 |work=The Indian Express |date=2 September 2018 |language=en}}</ref>
==Political career== According to some political analysts, Jakhar's strengths are related to his ‘clean-image’, articulate approach, and polite attitude.<ref name="PrintJakhar1" />
=== Indian National Congress === Jakhar began his career as a member of the INC, first became a member of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha from the Abohar Assembly constituency in 2002.<ref name=":0" /> In 2007 and 2012, he was re-elected from Abohar.<ref name=":0" /> He became a Member of Parliament after winning a by-election in Gurdaspur. He lost in 2019 to Sunny Deol of the Bharatiya Janata Party.<ref name=":0" /> Jakhar served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha from 2012 to 2015 and as the President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) from 2017 to 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kaur Tur |first=Jatinder |date=20 February 2022 |title=In Punjab, all major fronts other than Congress are surrogates of BJP: Sunil Jakhar |url=https://caravanmagazine.in/politics/sunil-jakhar-punjab-elections-congress-other-fronts-sad-aap-bjp |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=The Caravan |language=en |archive-date=23 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240723060604/https://caravanmagazine.in/politics/sunil-jakhar-punjab-elections-congress-other-fronts-sad-aap-bjp |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gopal |first=Navjeevan |date=2023-07-05 |title=Sunil Jakhar, BJP’s Punjab plan lynchpin and chief: Seasoned Jat leader, ex-state Cong head |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/sunil-jakhar-bjps-punjab-plan-lynchpin-and-chief-seasoned-jat-leader-ex-state-cong-head-8753249/ |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=The Indian Express |language=en |archive-date=5 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705060029/https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/sunil-jakhar-bjps-punjab-plan-lynchpin-and-chief-seasoned-jat-leader-ex-state-cong-head-8753249/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
In 2021, after the ouster of Amarinder Singh as the Chief Minister of Punjab by the INC's leadership, Jakhar was a frontrunner to replace Singh as Chief Minister.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Press Trust of India |date=14 March 2022 |title=Congress infighting: Jakhar slams Channi over Punjab poll results |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/politics/congress-infighting-jakhar-slams-channi-over-punjab-poll-results-122031401319_1.html |access-date=6 December 2024 |website=Business Standard}}</ref> However, Jakhar was opposed by Ambika Soni, a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament from the INC, who suggested that the INC should choose a Sikh for the position of Chief Minister.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vasdev |first=Kanchan |date=2021-09-21 |title=Sunil Jakhar takes on Ambika Soni: Those creating Hindu vs Sikh issue should apologise |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/sunil-jakhar-takes-on-ambika-soni-those-creating-hindu-vs-sikh-issue-should-apologise-7523704/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> In 2022, Jakhar stated that he is quitting from electoral politics; however, he will remain involved in party politics.<ref name=":1" />
In 2022, Jakhar left the INC on 14 May, days after receiving a notice from the Congress leadership. Earlier in 2022, the Congress leadership removed Jakhar from all party positions after he criticised former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, referring to him as a liability after the PPCC lost the Punjab Legislative Assembly Election in 2022.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=2022-05-14 |title=Former Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar quits party; Sidhu backs him |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/former-punjab-congress-president-sunil-jakhar-quits-party/article65413372.ece |access-date=2024-12-06 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> The day Jakhar left the INC, he criticised the INC's leadership, the INC's leadership for supporting certain politicians in the party, the functioning of the INC and the party's ideology.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Press Trust of India |date=14 May 2022 |title='Goodbye Congress,' says Sunil Jakhar as he shares decision to quit party |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/politics/goodbye-congress-says-sunil-jakhar-as-he-shares-decision-to-quit-party-122051400443_1.html |access-date=6 December 2024 |website=Business Standard |archive-date=4 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220704160240/https://www.business-standard.com/article/politics/goodbye-congress-says-sunil-jakhar-as-he-shares-decision-to-quit-party-122051400443_1.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Bharatiya Janata Party === He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 19 May 2022 in Delhi. On July 4, 2023, Jakhar was Appointed the President of BJP Punjab, which made him the only Punjab politician to have headed the state units of both the BJP and the INC.<ref name="IEJakhar23" /><ref name=":2" /> Jakhar campaigned during the 2024 Indian General Elections.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-05-06 |title=Punjab Government aiding efforts to subvert BJP campaign: Sunil Jakhar |url=https://www.thehindu.com/elections/lok-sabha/punjab-government-aiding-efforts-to-subvert-bjp-campaign-sunil-jakhar/article68146046.ece |access-date=2024-12-06 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> In September 2024, it was reported that Jakhar has resigned as the President of BJP Punjab, due to differences and clashes with other BJP Punjab leaders and their working style.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jagga |first=Raakhi |date=2024-09-27 |title=Sunil Jakhar ‘resignation’: How ex-Congress leader struggled to find feet in BJP |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/sunil-jakhar-resignation-bjp-congress-9591144/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=The Indian Express |language=en |archive-date=1 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001100650/https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/sunil-jakhar-resignation-bjp-congress-9591144/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Later in the same month, BJP Punjab stated that the report on Jakhar's resignation is baseless.<ref>{{Cite news |last=PTI |date=2024-09-27 |title=Punjab BJP rejects reports of Sunil Jakhar quitting as state unit chief |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/punjab/punjab-bjp-rejects-reports-of-sunil-jakhar-quitting-as-state-unit-chief/article68689358.ece |access-date=2024-12-06 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> In November 2024, it was reported that Jakhar had resigned from the presidency and that BJP Punjab was having internal issues due to it.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Gandhi |first=Taruni |date=2024-11-16 |title=Sunil Jakhar’s resignation sparks strife within Punjab BJP |url=https://sundayguardianlive.com/news/sunil-jakhars-resignation-sparks-strife-within-punjab-bjp |access-date=2024-12-07 |website=The Sunday Guardian Live |language=en-US |archive-date=16 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241116222652/https://sundayguardianlive.com/news/sunil-jakhars-resignation-sparks-strife-within-punjab-bjp |url-status=live }}</ref> He also did not campaign during the November by-polls taking place in Punjab.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jagga |first=Raakhi |date=2024-11-30 |title=Curious case of Sunil Jakhar resignation as Punjab BJP totters after poll blows |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/sunil-jakhar-resignation-case-punjab-bjp-poll-blows-9699132/ |access-date=2024-12-07 |website=The Indian Express |language=en |archive-date=4 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204172429/https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/sunil-jakhar-resignation-case-punjab-bjp-poll-blows-9699132/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Jakhar stated that he had submitted his resignation and it was the BJP's central leadership that would make a decision on it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jagga |first=Raakhi |date=2024-11-14 |title=Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar slams move to allocate Chandigarh land to Haryana: ‘Appeal to PM Modi, reverse this decision’ |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/punjab-bjp-chief-sunil-jakhar-chandigarh-land-haryana-pm-modi-9669793/ |access-date=2024-12-07 |website=The Indian Express |language=en |archive-date=15 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241115015502/https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/punjab-bjp-chief-sunil-jakhar-chandigarh-land-haryana-pm-modi-9669793/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In December 2024, Jakhar stated that his reasons for resigning were due to the BJP's performance in the 2024 General Elections in Punjab and that he had actually asked to resign before the elections but did not due to the upcoming elections.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gopal |first=Navjeevan |date=2024-12-13 |title=‘BJP has own approach, but mine is different’: Sunil Jakhar |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/bjp-has-own-approach-but-mine-is-different-sunil-jakhar/articleshow/116274046.cms |access-date=2024-12-16 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
In June 2025, Jakhar returned to active politics after a hiatus of 8 months by joining Jiwan Gupta at his nomination for the Ludhiana West Assembly constituency bypoll which is also in June 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vasudeva |first=Ravinder |date=4 June 2025 |title=After eight-month hiatus, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar returns to active politics |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/after-eight-month-hiatus-punjab-bjp-chief-sunil-jakhar-returns-to-active-politics-101748979704415.html |access-date=8 June 2025 |website=Hindustan Times}}</ref> After his return to active politics, Jakhar in June 2025, at the prayer meeting for the deceased political leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, urged the various Shiromani Akali Dal political parties to unite.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goyal |first=Divya |date=9 June 2025 |title=A strong regional party is a necessity not just for panth, but nation: At Sukhdev Dhindsa’s prayer meet, Jakhar urges Akali factions to unite |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/strong-regional-party-necessity-nation-jakhar-akali-factions-unite-10055935/ |access-date=11 June 2025 |website=The Indian Express}}</ref> In July 2025, Jakhar stated that the BJP and the SAD should reform their electoral alliance, which had been broken in 2020 as a result of the farmers' protests against the 2020 Indian agriculture acts.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mahajan |first=Anilesh S. |date=26 July 2025 |editor-last=Mukherjee |editor-first=Ashish |title=Why BJP old guard in Punjab, national leadership aren’t buying the SAD reunion talk |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india-today-insight/story/why-bjp-old-guard-in-punjab-national-leadership-arent-buying-the-sad-reunion-talk-2761653-2025-07-26 |access-date=28 July 2025 |website=India Today}}</ref>
==Controversy== On 7 January 2017, Jakhar sent a complaint to the Punjab chief election officer alleging that local Shiromani Akali Dal leader Shivlal Doda and his nephew Waris / others used seven different mobile numbers while in a Fazilka prison.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ludhiana/punjab-mla-sunil-jakhar-lodges-fresh-complaints-against-sads-shiv-lal-doda-nephew/articleshow/56392408.cms |title=Punjab Polls 2017: Punjab MLA Sunil Jakhar lodges fresh complaints against SAD's Shiv Lal Doda, nephew |website=The Times of India |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170108053502/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ludhiana/punjab-mla-sunil-jakhar-lodges-fresh-complaints-against-sads-shiv-lal-doda-nephew/articleshow/56392408.cms |archive-date=2017-01-08}}</ref>
== Personal life == Jakhar is married to Silvia Jakhar, a citizen of Switzerland and she is based in Delhi.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Manraj Grewal |date=2021-09-19 |title=Explained: Who is Sunil Jakhar, surprise candidate to replace Amarinder Singh as Punjab CM? |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/sunil-jakhar-punjab-chief-minister-candidate-amarinder-singh-7518875/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=The Indian Express |language=en |archive-date=23 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523171716/https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/sunil-jakhar-punjab-chief-minister-candidate-amarinder-singh-7518875/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Silvia is reported to remain away from Jakhar's political career.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Khushwant |date=23 October 2012 |title=Leader of the Opposition |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/leader-of-the-opposition/story-q0tc1LKSQJHb2bWx22WznJ.html |access-date=6 December 2024 |website=Hindustan Times |archive-date=23 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171223033817/http://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/leader-of-the-opposition/story-q0tc1LKSQJHb2bWx22WznJ.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|in-lwr}} {{s-bef|before=Vinod Khanna}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament<br />Gurdaspur|years= 2017 – 2019}} {{s-aft|after=Sunny Deol}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Ashwani Kumar Sharma}} {{s-ttl|title=President<br />Bharatiya Janata Party, Punjab|years=2023 – present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-bef|before=Amarinder Singh}} {{s-ttl|title=President<br />Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee|years=2017 – 2021}} {{s-aft|after=Navjot Singh Sidhu}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jakhar, Sunil}} Category:State cabinet ministers of Punjab, India Category:Living people Category:Punjab, India MLAs 2002–2007 Category:Punjab, India MLAs 2007–2012 Category:Punjab, India MLAs 2012–2017 Category:People from Fazilka district Category:India MPs 2014–2019 Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Punjab, India Category:Leaders of the opposition in Punjab, India Category:Lok Sabha members from Punjab, India Category:People from Gurdaspur district Category:1954 births Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Punjab Category:State presidents of Bharatiya Janata Party Category:Presidents of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee