Punjab cabinet hopefuls: Considered Rahul Gandhi’s man, Nagra looks at party post and Cabinet spot

Nagra started with students politics as the head of students union at Khalsa College Chandigarh in 1985 from where he graduated in arts. He went on to head Panjab University Students Union (PUSU) and entered university politics.

A law graduate from Panjab University Chandigarh, he also headed Panjab University Students Council (PUSC) thrice.

After joining the Youth Congress, he was elevated as the general secretary of Punjab Youth Congress. As part of All India Youth Congress, he grew close to Rahul Gandhi.

His father, who worked for Punjab government’s revenue department, had resigned in protest during massive agitation of employees for their rights.

Nagra, two-time MLA from Fatehgarh Sahib, belongs to village Bahadurgarh of Fatehgarh Sahib and currently puts up in the main city. He first won from Fatehgarh Sahib in 2012 and then in 2017. He was also the senate member of Panjab University Chandigarh from graduate constituency and has been actively fighting for students rights and organising youth festivals throughout his career in students’ politics.

In September last year, he resigned as MLA Fatehgarh Sahib in protest against passing of three farm laws in Lok Sabha and said that he took the step after listening to his ‘inner voice’ as he had to ‘answer farmers’.

He said that his resignation was his way of expressing anguish against passing of three farms laws in the Parliament under BJP led NDA government. However, his resignation has not been accepted by the Speaker of Punjab Assembly till now.

He is also the only MLA from Punjab who had volunteered to pay his income tax from his own pocket unlike his colleagues whose Income Tax returns are filed from the state exchequer.

He was a hockey player and a part of PU’s hockey team during his university days. He is known to be a politician with clean image without any controversy since being elected as MLA for first time in 2012.

Nagra also served as Congress incharge for three states- Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura and was ex-president of Kisaan Khet Mazdoor Congress.

Coming from a non-political family, he has been closely associated with AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala since college days.

While in 2012 his stature in the party grew after he defeated SAD senior leader Prem Singh Chandumajra despite SAD-BJP returning to power, in 2017, he defeated Didar Singh Bhatti of SAD.