UK NRI, hotelier's son Jasbir Khangura surrendered his British citizenship for Indian politics

Congress candidate from Kila Raipur

Ludhiana, Punjab, January 22, 2007
Col Harbans Grewal

NRI Jasbir Singh Khangura (Jassi), 43, who has sacrifice his British citizenship to return to his Punjab roots and has decided to try his luck in the field of politics.

Jasbir is the Congress candidate for the Qila Raipur Assembly, Ludhian District, the only seat congress party has never won since Independence. This seat is always belong to Akali Dal. Last time in 2002, his mother Gurdial Kaur Khangura had contested from this constituency and lost to SAD candidate Jagdish Singh Garcha.

His father Jagpal Singh Khangura is a senior Congress leader, London-based hotelier returned to his home state Punjab in 1990 to build a Punjab's first five-star hotel, the Park Plaza.He had been a councillor in Britain for many years and the family had been working for the West London community.

In 1992, Jassi had come very close to becoming an MP in the United Kingdom. Jassi, who studied medicine in England for 5.5 years, drop idea to become a doctor and joined father's business

“Due to my family’s hold and services rendered by my father in this constituency, I was almost sure of getting the party ticket,” says a confident Jassi. He starts his day as early as 6 am and covers about a dozen villages daily. “In fact, I have already covered the constituency thrice and we are now repeating the entire exercise,” says Jassi.

“You better know who can take care of your interests,” he tells the people, hastily adding that it is only the Congress that can guard their interests. To woo villagers, he also takes tea and refreshments with them.

"My family has always been committed to the people of this area and has worked extensively in the constituency for the last five years. My father has done remarkable work and he would have been a suitable candidate, but the family decided that Jassi, being younger, should be in the fray."

"My heart is in Qila Raipur and we have a flourishing business in Punjab. After my daughter completes school next year, she will settle down in Punjab, with the rest of us. It is the commitment to serve my people that has brought me back to India, and not everybody gives up British citizenship to plunge into politics in the country of one's birth."

"NRIs are a valuable resource for India and we need to do more to encourage their participation in their motherland, be it by investment in equity or industry, charitable, social and educational funding, or by simply being better ambassadors of India. Let us make NRIs feel less like 'not-required Indians' and more like 'newly-returned Indians'."

Khangura called upon the youth to create awareness about the achievements of the Congress government in the state. Reminding the crowd of the family’s legacy, Khangura claimed that his father Jagpal Singh Khangura had done immense services for the people of Kila Raipur without even holding any official position.

Khangura said though the Congress had never been able to win this seat, the power of youth would write a new chapter in Kila Raipur’s history.

Very popular personalities who attended rallies today were H S Kanwal- former mayor of London, Congress leaders Kuldeep Sharma, Ravjot Singh Mangat and Avtar Singh Grewal

His parents are also helping him in the campaign.