New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has revealed that his favourite Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader is former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. During an “Ask Me Anything” session with Gen-Z and students on Instagram, Rahul responded to a question about his favourite BJP leader by saying, “Uncle Amarinder.”
Rahul Gandhi’s response has sparked political discussion, as Captain Amarinder Singh spent decades in the Congress before resigning as Punjab Chief Minister, forming his own party and later joining the BJP.
Recently, Captain Amarinder Singh had spoken about his personal relationship with Rahul Gandhi in an interview. He said Rahul personally wished him on his birthday this year and also sent a condolence message after the demise of his brother, Raja Randhir Singh. Amarinder added that he did not receive a similar message from any senior BJP leader.
The reference to Captain Amarinder Singh as “Uncle Amarinder” also reflects the long-standing personal ties between the Gandhi family and the Patiala royal family.
Captain Amarinder Singh and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi’s father, studied together at The Doon School in Dehradun and shared a close friendship. According to Amarinder Singh, it was Rajiv Gandhi who encouraged him to enter active politics. He was elected to the Lok Sabha on a Congress ticket in 1980.
