As you know, Sukhbir has resigned from the post. By-elections are being held next month and he will contest from one of the three constituencies.

NITIN JAIN: Will the post of Deputy CM be filled or will it be kept vacant for him?

I cannot say anything about that at the moment.

RAJNI SHALEEN CHOPRA: When do you see Sukhbir becoming CM?

It all depends on destiny. He will become chief minister if and when he is destined to do so.

JAGMEETA THIND JOY: Now your daughter-in-law Harsimrat has also joined politics. What was the thinking behind that?

Harsimrat did not want to join politics. But Amarinder Singh (Congress) kept challenging us publicly, saying someone from the Badal family should contest against his son from Bathinda. Apart from Harsimrat, all of us had prior commitments. But we could not have run away as one should not show weakness in politics. Ultimately, we defeated Amarinder’s son by more than a lakh votes.

MUKESH BHARDWAJ: People blame you for propagating dynastic politics.

The party that accuses me of dynastic politics is the one that is led by a dynasty. When an advocate’s son can be an advocate, why can’t a politician’s son become a politician? My younger brother is also in politics. We had not wanted our sons Sukhbir and Manpreet to join politics. However, the circumstances were such that both gradually had to join politics—and now, perhaps, they have developed a taste for it.

HARPREET BAJWA: What do you have to say about the recent incidents in which Akali workers were involved in abusing a BJP minister and beating up a senior official? 

... contd.