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Solapur (Lok Sabha constituency)

2022-01-18T21:04:44Z

2405:201:6007:4994:A8E7:B38F:897B:60D6: /* General elections 2019 */

{{short description|Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox Lok Sabha Constituency
| image =
| caption =
| Existence = 1952–present
| CurrentMPParty = [[BJP]]
| CurrentMP = [[Jaisidhesvar Swami]]
| ElectedByYear = 2019
| State = [[Maharashtra]]
|Successful Party =
|Reservation= SC
| AssemblyConstituencies =[[Mohol (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Mohol]] [[Solapur City North (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Solapur City North]] [[Solapur City Central (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Solapur City Central]] [[Akkalkot (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Akkalkot]] [[Solapur South (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Solapur South]] [[Pandharpur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Pandharpur]]
}}

'''[[Solapur]]''' Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 48 [[Lok Sabha]] (parliamentary) constituencies in [[Maharashtra]] state in western [[India]].

==Vidhan Sabha segments==
Presently, after [[delimitation]], Solapur Lok Sabha constituency comprises the following six [[Vidhan Sabha]] (legislative assembly) segments:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ceo.maharashtra.gov.in/erollsum.php|title=List of ACs and PCs|publisher=Chief Electoral Officer, Maharashtra website|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101215120931/http://ceo.maharashtra.gov.in/erollsum.php|archive-date=15 December 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
{|class="wikitable" width="500px"
!width="50px" style="font-size:75%"|Constituency number
!width="200px"|Name
!width="100px" style="font-size:75%"|Reserved for ([[Dalit|SC]]/[[Adivasi|ST]]/None)
!width="200px"|District
!Current Member
!Political Party
|-
|247
|[[Mohol (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Mohol]]
|SC
|[[Solapur District|Solapur]]

|Yashwant Vitthal Mane
|[[Nationalist Congress Party|NCP]]
|-
|248
|[[Solapur City North (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Solapur City North]]
|None
|[[Solapur District|Solapur]]
|Deshmukh Vijaykumar Sidramappa
|[[BJP]]
|-
|249
|[[Solapur City Central (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Solapur City Central]]
|None
|[[Solapur District|Solapur]]
|Shinde Praniti Sushilkumar
|[[Indian National Congress|INC]]
|-
|250
|[[Akkalkot (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Akkalkot]]
|None
|[[Solapur District|Solapur]]
|Sachin Panchappa Kalyanshetti
|[[BJP]]
|-
|251
|[[Solapur South (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Solapur South]]
|None
|[[Solapur District|Solapur]]
|Subhash Sureshchandra Deshmukh
|[[BJP]]
|-
|252
|[[Pandharpur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Pandharpur]]
|None
|[[Solapur District|Solapur]]
|Samadhan Autade (ByPoll 2021)
|[[BJP]]
|}

==Members of Lok Sabha==
'''Key'''

{{Party index link|Peasants and Workers Party of India}} {{Party index link|Indian National Congress}} {{Party index link|Indian National Congress (Indira)}} {{Party index link|Bharatiya Janata Party}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Election!!Member!!Party
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Peasants and Workers Party of India}}" |
| [[1951 Indian general election|1951]]
| Shankar Shantaram More ( 2 seats, Member #1 )
| [[Peasants and Workers Party of India]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Peasants and Workers Party of India}}" |
| [[1951 Indian general election|1951]]
| [[P. N. Rajabhoj]] ( 2 seats )<ref name=ls-profile>{{cite web|title=First Lok Sabha- Members Bioprofile|url=http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/biodata_1_12/942.htm|access-date=6 October 2015}}</ref>
| [[Scheduled Castes Federation]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Peasants and Workers Party of India}}" |
| [[1957 Indian general election|1957]]
| Jayawant Ghanshyam More ( 2 members, #1/2 )

| [[Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti]]
|-
| rowspan="5" style="background-color: {{party color|Indian National Congress}}" |
| [[1957 Indian general election|1957]]
| [[T.H. Sonavane|Tayappa Hari Sonavane]] ( 2 members, #2/2 )
| rowspan="5" | [[Indian National Congress]]
|-
| [[1962 Indian general election|1962]]
| Madeppa Beandappa Kadadi
|-
| [[1967 Indian general election|1967]]
| rowspan="3" | [[Surajratan Fatehchand Damani]]
|-
| [[1971 Indian general election|1971]]
|-
| [[1977 Indian general election|1977]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Indian National Congress (Indira)}}" |
| [[1980 Indian general election|1980]]
| rowspan="2" | Gangadhar Sidramappa Kuchan
| [[Indian National Congress (Indira)]]
|-
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: {{party color|Indian National Congress}}" |
| [[1984 Indian general election|1984]]
| rowspan="3" | [[Indian National Congress]]
|-
| [[1989 Indian general election|1989]]
| rowspan="2" | Dharmanna Mondayya Sadul
|-
| [[1991 Indian general election|1991]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Bharatiya Janata Party}}" |
| [[1996 Indian general election|1996]]
| [[Lingraj Balairayya Valyal]]
| [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
|-
| rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Indian National Congress}}" |
| [[1998 Indian general election|1998]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Sushil Kumar Shinde]] (Vacated in 2003)
| rowspan="2" | [[Indian National Congress]]
|-
| [[1999 Indian general election|1999]]
|-
| rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Bharatiya Janata Party}}" |
| 2003 Bye-poll
|[[Pratapsinh Mohite-Patil]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
|-
| [[2004 Indian general election|2004]]
| [[Subhash Sureshchandra Deshmukh]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Indian National Congress}}" |
| [[2009 Indian general election|2009]]
| [[Sushil Kumar Shinde]]
| [[Indian National Congress]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Bharatiya Janata Party}}" |
| [[2014 Indian general election|2014]]
| [[Sharad Bansode]]
| [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Bharatiya Janata Party}}" |
| [[2019 Indian general election|2019]]
| [[Jaisidhesvar Swami]]
| [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
|}

==Election results==
===General elections 2019===
{{Election box begin | title=[[2019 Indian general elections]]: [[Solapur]]}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Bharatiya Janata Party
|candidate = [[Jaisidhesvar Swami]]
|votes = 5,12,540
|percentage = 46.41
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Indian National Congress
|candidate = [[Sushilkumar Shinde]]
|votes = 3,66,377
|percentage = 33.78
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi
|candidate = [[Prakash Ambedkar]]
|votes = 1,70,007
|percentage = 15.68
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = None of the above
|candidate = [[None of the Above]]
|votes = 6,191
|percentage = 0.57
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate |
|party = BMP
|candidate = Prof. Dr. Arjun Gena Ohal
|votes = 3,880
|percentage = 0.36
|change =
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 1,58,608
|percentage = 14.63
|change =
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 10,86,344
|percentage = 58.67
|change =
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Bharatiya Janata Party
|loser =
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}

===General elections 2014===
{{Election box begin | title=[[2014 Indian general elections]]: [[Solapur]]<ref name=elections2014>{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/2014-election-results.html|website=elections.in|title=2014 India General Elections Results|access-date=2020-06-28}}</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Bharatiya Janata Party
|candidate = [[Sharad Bansode]]
|votes = 5,17,879
|percentage = 54.43
|change = +15.69
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Indian National Congress
|candidate = [[Sushilkumar Shinde]]
|votes = 3,68,205
|percentage = 38.70
|change = -13.45
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Bahujan Samaj Party
|candidate = Adv Sanjeev Sidram Sadafule
|votes = 19,041
|percentage = 2.00
|change = -2.10
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = none of the above
|candidate = [[None of the Above]]
|votes = 13,778
|percentage = 1.45
|change = +1.45
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Aam Aadmi Party
|candidate = Lalit Babar
|votes = 9,261
|percentage = 0.97
|change = +0.97
}}

{{Election box majority|
|votes = 1,49,674
|percentage = 15.73
|change =
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 9,51,510
|percentage = 55.88
|change =
}}
{{Election box gain with party link|
|winner = Bharatiya Janata Party
|loser = Indian National Congress
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}

===General Elections 2009===
{{Election box begin | title=[[2009 Indian general elections]]: [[Solapur]]<ref>[http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/archiveofge2009/Stats/VOLI/25_ConstituencyWiseDetailedResult.pdf 2009 Election Commission of India]</ref>}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Indian National Congress
|candidate = [[Sushilkumar Shinde]]
|votes = 3,87,591
|percentage = 59.9
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Bharatiya Janata Party
|candidate = [[Sharad Bansode]]
|votes = 2,87,959
|percentage = 38.74
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Bahujan Samaj Party
|candidate = Gaikwad Pramod Ramchandra
|votes = 30,457
|percentage = 04.10
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate |
|party = [[Independent politician|IND]]
|candidate = Bansode Uttam Bhimsha
|votes = 8,134
|percentage = 1.09
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate |
|party = [[Independent politician|IND]]
|candidate = Vijaykumar Bhagwanrao Ughade
|votes = 7,416
|percentage = 1.00
|change =
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 99,632
|percentage = 13.40
|change =
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 7,43,222
|percentage = 46.62
|change =
}}
{{Election box gain with party link|
|loser = Bharatiya Janata Party
|winner = Indian National Congress
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}

==See also==
* [[Solapur district]]
* [[List of Constituencies of the Lok Sabha]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.indiaelections2014.info/parliament/2019/states/maharashtra/solapur/lok_sabha_parliamentary_election_2019_results.html Solapur lok sabha constituency election 2019 results details]

{{Lok Sabha constituencies of Maharashtra}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Solapur (Lok Sabha Constituency)}}
[[Category:Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Solapur district]]

Harsimrat Kaur Badal

2022-01-18T07:13:41Z

2405:201:6007:4994:A8E7:B38F:897B:60D6:

{{short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Harsimrat Kaur Badal.jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1966|7|25}}
| birth_place = [[New Delhi]], [[India]]
| residence = [[Chandigarh]]
| nationality = [[Indian people|Indian]]
| office = [[Ministry of Food Processing Industries|Minister for Food Processing Industries]]
| primeminister = [[Narendra Modi]]
| term_start = 26 May 2014
| term_end = 17 September 2020
| predecessor = [[Krishna Tirath]]
| successor = [[Narendra Singh Tomar]]
| office2 = [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]]
| constituency2 = [[Bathinda (Lok Sabha constituency)|Bathinda]]
| term_start2 = 13 May 2009
| term_end2 =
| predecessor2 = [[Paramjit Kaur Gulshan]]
| successor2 =
| party = [[Shiromani Akali Dal]]
| profession = [[Politician]]
| spouse = {{Marriage|[[Sukhbir Singh Badal]]|21 November 1991}}
| children = 3
| relatives = [[Parkash Singh Badal]] (father-in-law) [[Bikram Singh Majithia]] (brother)
| website = {{URL|https://harsimratkaurbadal.online}}
}}
'''Harsimrat Kaur Badal''' (born 25 July 1966) is an Indian politician and a former Union Cabinet [[Minister of Food Processing Industries]] in the [[Government of India]]<ref name=HTstaff2014>{{cite news |author1=HT Correspondent |title=Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal sworn in as food processing minister |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/chandigarh/bathinda-mp-harsimrat-kaur-badal-sworn-in-as-food-processing-minister/article1-1223069.aspx |url-status=dead |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=26 May 2014 |location=New Delhi |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527200014/http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/chandigarh/bathinda-mp-harsimrat-kaur-badal-sworn-in-as-food-processing-minister/article1-1223069.aspx |archive-date=27 May 2014 }}</ref> and [[Parliament of India|Member of Parliament]] in the Lok Sabha from [[Bathinda (Lok Sabha constituency)|Bathinda]]. She is a member of [[Shiromani Akali Dal]] Party.<ref name=ECI>"[http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/archiveofge2009/Stats/VOLI/25_ConstituencyWiseDetailedResult.pdf Constituency Wise Detailed Results (2009)]." [[Election Commission of India|Electoral Commission of India]], 2009. Page 112. Retrieved 30 October 2011.{{Dead link|date=May 2019}}</ref> Her husband [[Sukhbir Singh Badal]] is former deputy chief minister of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] and the president of [[Shiromani Akali Dal]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/politically-famous-better-halves-poonam-sinha-dimple-yadav-harsimrat-kaur/lady-power/slideshow/69058111.cms | title=Politically Famous Better Halves: Sonia Gandhi, Poonam Sinha & Dimple Yadav | publisher=[[The Economic Times]] | date=14 May 2019 | access-date=16 June 2020}}</ref> She resigned from the cabinet on 17 September 2020 to protest against few [[Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020|farmer related ordinances]] and legislation.<ref name="resignation2020"/>

==Personal life==
Badal was born on 25 July 1966 to Satyajit and Sukhmanjus Majithia in [[Delhi]]. She is a matriculate and holds a diploma in textile design.<ref>{{cite news |last=Layak |first=Suman |date=10 July 2016 |title=Cabinet reshuffle: Modi government's got talent but is it being fully utilised? |url=http://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/cabinet-reshuffle-modi-governments-got-talent-but-is-it-being-fully-utilised/articleshow/53132757.cms |work=[[The Economic Times]] |access-date=19 April 2021}}</ref> She married [[Sukhbir Singh Badal]] on 21 November 1991,.<ref name="lssbio" /> The couple have two daughters and a son. Her brother [[Bikram Singh Majithia]] is an [[Shiromani Akali Dal|Akali]] [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] from [[Majitha]]<ref name="lssbio">"[http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/Members/Biography.aspx?mpsno=4433 15th Lok Sabha Members Bioprofile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150520071159/http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/Members/Biography.aspx?mpsno=4433 |date=20 May 2015 }}" [[Government of India]], 2009. Retrieved 30 October 2011.</ref> and an ex minister in the [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] state government led by her father-in-law [[Parkash Singh Badal]].

===Early life and education===
Badal is born into a family that traces its roots to Attar Singh Majithia, a prominent general in [[Ranjit Singh|Maharaja Ranjit Singh]]’s army. Born and brought up in New Delhi, Badal did her schooling from [[Loreto Convent School, Delhi|Loreto Convent School]], New Delhi. She later entered into the field of textile designing and pursued a three-year course in textile design.

==Political career==
Badal started her political career with the [[2009 Indian general election]]. She was elected to the [[15th Lok Sabha]] from the [[Bathinda (Lok Sabha constituency)|Bathinda constituency]] after defeating [[Indian National Congress]] candidate [[Raninder Singh]] by 120,960 votes.<ref name=ECI/> Her first speech was on 3 December 2009, where she expressed her concern about the victims and survivors of the [[1984 anti-Sikh riots]]. She was part of a project named "Nanhi Chhan" to save girl child and trees.<ref>{{cite news |title=Harsimrat Badal launches fifth phase of Nanhi Jaan project |date=9 March 2009 |work=Punjab Newsline |location=Punjab, India |access-date=30 October 2011 |url=http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/harsimrat-badal-launches-fifth-phase-nanhi-chhan-project |archive-date=3 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110703235650/http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/harsimrat-badal-launches-fifth-phase-nanhi-chhan-project }}</ref> Badal has been re-elected as an MP from [[Bathinda]] in 2014 having defeated [[Indian National Congress]]-[[People's Party of Punjab]] joint candidate, [[Manpreet Singh Badal]]. For this, she has been appointed in the Modi government as State Minister for Food Processing. She got elected for 3rd time in a row from Bathinda in 2019 Lok Sabha election. She defeated the Congress candidate [[Amrinder Singh Raja Warring]] in a close fight with around 21,000 votes.

In May 2019, she continued her [[Ministry of Food Processing Industries]].<ref>{{cite news |title=PM Modi allocates portfolios. Full list of new ministers |url=https://www.livemint.com/politics/news/pm-modi-allocates-portfolios-full-list-of-new-ministers-1559288502067.html |access-date=14 January 2021 |work=Mint |date=31 May 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

She resigned from the cabinet on 17 September 2020 to protest against the new [[2020 Indian agriculture acts|farm bills]] passed by the government.<ref name="resignation2020">{{cite news |last1=PTI |title=Harsimrat Kaur Badal quits Modi govt to protest farm bills |url=https://m.timesofindia.com/india/harsimrat-kaur-badal-will-quit-modi-govt-to-protest-farm-bills-sad-chief/amp_articleshow/78170723.cms |access-date=17 September 2020 |work=The Times of India |date=18 September 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Punjab, India|Punjab]]
* [[Shiromani Akali Dal]]
* [[Bathinda]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|in-lwr}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Paramjit Kaur Gulshan]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for [[Bathinda (Lok Sabha constituency)|Bathinda]] |years=2009 – present}}
{{s-aft|after=Incumbent}}
|-
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Charan Das Mahant]] As Minister of State}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Ministry of Food Processing Industries|Minister of Food Processing Industries]]|years=26 May 2014 – 17 September 2020}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Narendra Singh Tomar]]}}
|-
{{s-end}}

==External links==
Official website of [https://web.archive.org/web/20190624145114/http://harsimratkaurbadal.online/ Harsimrat Badal]
{{Second Narendra Modi Cabinet}}
{{Cabinet of Narendra Modi}}
{{16th LS members from Punjab}}
{{17th LS members from Punjab}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Badal, Harsimrat Kaur}}
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:15th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:16th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:Women in Punjab, India politics]]
[[Category:Shiromani Akali Dal politicians]]
[[Category:Indian Sikhs]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Punjab, India]]
[[Category:People from Bathinda district]]
[[Category:Narendra Modi ministry]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:Women members of the Cabinet of India]]
[[Category:17th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:Members of the Cabinet of India]]

Ashwani Kumar Sharma

2022-01-17T09:41:35Z

2405:201:6007:4994:A8E7:B38F:897B:60D6:

{{Short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{fanpov|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ashwani Kumar Sharma
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|01|23|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Pathankot]], [[East Punjab|Punjab]], [[India]]
| residence = Gali No. 2, New Bank Colony Behind Bus Stand, [[Pathankot]], [[Punjab, India]]
| office = President, BJP Punjab
| constituency = [[Pathankot Assembly Constituency]]
| predecessor = [[Shwait Malik]]
| successor = Incumbent
| party = [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
| religion = hindu
| spouse =
| children = One Son
| website =
| office 1 = Member of Legislative Assembly
| termstart = 17 January 2020
| predecessor 1 = [[Master Mohan Lal]]
| term 1 = 2012-2017
}}

'''Ashwani Kumar Sharma''' (born 23 January 1964) is an Indian politician and a current [[Bharatiya Janta Party]] (BJP) Punjab president. He was a member of [[Punjab Legislative Assembly]] and represented Pathankot.

His desire for social work motivated him and he joined RSS at the tender age of 9 . During his college time he played the key role in ABVP, he joined active politics in 1988 by becoming a member of B.J.Y.M.(Pb).judging his leadership qualities and bright acumen the B.J.P elevated him to the more responsible post of Mandal Pradhan in 1989. His vibrant personality with selfless service infused new life into the party workers. Known for his organisational and managerial skills, he was made the President B.J.Y.M (Pb) in 2004.

After a successful term he was appointed as General Secretary BJP Punjab from 2007 to 2010.Meanwhile, he became Chairman of District. Planning Board Gurdaspur. Due to his consistent diligence and selfless efforts, he was elected as BJP Punjab State President in 2010. Under his leadership party performed exceptionally well in 2012 legislative elections by winning all the Vidhan Sabha seats for BJP in Dist. Pathankot and contributed a lot in building SAD-BJP alliance and was able to repeat the coalition government in Punjab after 43 years and also became member of legislative assembly in 2012.<ref name='a'>. [http://electionaffairs.com/punjab/state_assembly_elections_2012/winning_candidates_results_punjab_assembly_elections_2012.html Results Punjab State Assembly Elections 2012] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130506042537/http://electionaffairs.com/punjab/state_assembly_elections_2012/winning_candidates_results_punjab_assembly_elections_2012.html |date=6 May 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Bharatiya Janta Party Punjab|url=http://www.bjppunjab.in|access-date=4 May 2013}}</ref>

==Early life==
<ref>{{cite web|title=Punjab 2012|url=http://myneta.info/pb2012/candidate.php?candidate_id=3|publisher=The Association for Democratic Reforms|access-date=4 May 2013}}</ref> He was born in a lower-middle-class family on 23 January 1964. His father Pandit Uma Dutt Sharma was a devoted Hindu, a renowned pandit (priest) and astrologer in the district Gurdaspur. The family had migrated to India from Sialkot (Pakistan) after partition.{{Citation needed|date=November 2020}}

Ashwani Kumar Sharma did his early schooling from Vivekananda Model High School, Pathankot and went to do his graduation from [[Guru Nanak Dev University]] in [[Bachelor of Arts]].{{Citation needed|date=November 2020}}

Sharma was involved with RSS based social service activities since childhood. He participated in the neighborhood shakhas as a boy from there on he was formerly inducted to become a RSS Swayamsevak. During his college days in Pathankot, he worked as an active member of ABVP and has been vociferous supporter of students in active Indian Politics.<ref>{{cite web|title=Candidate affidavit |url=http://docs2.myneta.info/affidavits/ews2pb2012/3/AshwaniKumar_SC04.jpg |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201164103/http://docs2.myneta.info/affidavits/ews2pb2012/3/AshwaniKumar_SC04.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 February 2014 |publisher=MyNeta |access-date=4 May 2013 }}</ref>

==Political career==
His desire for social work motivated him and he joined RSS at the age of 9, during that time he had participated in rallies like the Tobacco Protest against terrorists like Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Known for his organisational and managerial skills, he was made the President B.J.Y.M. (Pb) in 2004. After a successful term he was appointed as General Secretary BJP Punjab from 2007 to 2010.

Meanwhile, he became Chairman of District Planning Board Gurdaspur. Due to his efforts, he was elected as BJP Punjab State President in 2010. Under his leadership party performed exceptionally well in 2012 legislative elections by winning all the Vidhan Sabha seats for BJP in Dist. Pathankot and contributed a lot in building SAD-BJP alliance and was able to repeat the coalition government in Punjab after 43 years and also became member of legislative assembly in 2012.

== Controversies ==
Some sections of society allege that he had also published articles and magazines along with pamphlets for the Bajrang Dal in 1986 and 1992. The Indiatoday described one of his articles- ''"Bihar Rajya Sabha member S.S. Ahluwalia sent the prime minister copies of offensive posters in Lucknow and Patna virtually calling for a pogrom of the Sikhs, put up by the Bajrang Brigade, a militant off-shoot of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad."'' The minister has not proclaimed innocence or acknowledged the event, many say that it is false. Although he has lots of support saying that at that day and age it was completely allowed and viable due to mass scale terrorism and glorification of terrorists by the Jatt Sikh population. Afterwards in 1999 he published a Hindu right-wing magazine titled "Sikhs Hindu hai-Khalistani Musalman hai".

He had stated in his rally in Central Jalandhar, 2020, "When I and the Bharatiya Janta Party take over, we will all start using Sanskrita Punjabi in it's pure Devnagari script." There was backlash although the minister has not taken his words back, as of now. Rural Jatt Sikhs had started protests against this athough no outcome or closure to the event. He has also started his 'tweeting' in both Punjabi and Hindi or just Hindi.

He had also started casteist vote politics, although no evidence has been given for the same except two reportedly fabricated videos. He had openly proclaimed that "''The Jatt Sikhs are with the Shiromani Akali Dal, if they win there will be a Kalyuga (dark age) in Punjab. The Mazabhis are with the Aam Aadmi Party, who are busy saluting Kejriwal in Delhi. The Congress is lost; Navjot Singh Sidhu's policies are a joke and so is his ally with Pakistan. It's only Khatris who have stayed loyal to Punjab since the beggining, the Gurus were Khatris, all Sadhus and Udasins are Khatris. Any patriot of Punjab is by default a Khatri''." He continued saying, ''"BJP has two policies; no tolerance for terrorism and no tolerance for intoxicants".''

He had also tweeted in Hindi "''Attempts were made to disrespect Sri Swaran Mandir in Amritsar, I strongly condemn this incident. This incident is highly reprehensible. This incident should be fully investigated."'' Radical Hindu sections have stated that he should condemn to lynching rather than the sacrilege whereas Sikhs have stated that the name is Sri Darbar Sahib rather than Swaran Mandir.

While condemning the Nihang attack on a cop he had stated that the Nihang order should be given ceremonial and blunt daggers made of wood or rubber, or even sealed during Gurdaspur News Today talk show with Gurmeet Singh.

He had stated in 2019 that "All Hindu Bihari immigrants will receive ₹5000 along with subsidies, the BJP is pro-choice and pro-Punjab" in a bid to increase votes, although the statement back fired due to many Bihari immigrants being illegal and the fact that Bihari Hindus have been changing the demographics of Punjab.

He had also taunted Afghani Sikhs fleeing from Talibani persecution saying "All you have to do is worship Krishna Ji and Shri Ganesha and all will be fine. The BJP and the Government have started Operation Devi Shakti to save the Sher Singhs hailing from Afghanistan."

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharma, Ashwani Kumar}}
[[Category:Punjab, India MLAs 2007–2012]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Punjab, India MLAs 2012–2017]]
[[Category:People from Pathankot district]]
[[Category:Guru Nanak Dev University alumni]]
[[Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Punjab]]
[[Category:1964 births]]