Jagmeet steps down as NDP suffers big defeat in Canada
NDP
) headed by him losing its national party status, Indo-Canadian
Dhaliwal's popularity saw a sharp fall in only a few years.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
The NDP has won only 7 seats, down from 25 in 2021 under Jagmeet Singh's leadership, forcing him to announce he is stepping down as leader of the party. Jagmeet, whose parents hail from Thikriwal village in Barnala district of Punjab, was appointed as leader of the NDP on Oct 1, 2017. During these over seven years, he won two elections from Burnaby Central in 2019 and 2021 but lost the April 28, 2025, elections.
The 46-year-old Sikh leader emerged as a 'sankat mochak' (crisis manager) when the NDP, headed by him, supported the minority govt of the Liberal Party in 2019 and 2021.
In 2021, the NDP won 25 seats with a 17.82% vote share.
Any party in Canada needs 12 seats to officially qualify for national party status in the House of Commons.
Jagmeet Singh's family moved to Canada somewhere in the 1970s, and he was born in Scarborough, in the Greater Toronto Area. He obtained a degree in biology from the University of Western Ontario and a bachelor of laws from York University's Osgoode Hall Law School.
He worked as a criminal defence attorney for years before pursuing provincial politics in the Ontario legislature in 2011. In 2019, he won the seat in federal elections — a bypoll to Burnaby Central.
Jagmeet visited his native village only once as a teenager, way back in 1993, when his grandfather, Shamsher Singh Dhaliwal, passed away. Then Jagmeet, along with his father Jagtaran Singh, came to the village, remember Thikriwal residents, who held prayers during every election under Jagmeet.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Jagmeet's great-grandfather was a cousin of freedom fighter Sewa Singh Thikriwal, and his grandfather Shamsher Singh was a nephew of the freedom fighter, who attained martyrdom in Patiala jail on Jan 19, 1935. Jagmeet's used to live in Thikriwal, while Jagmeet's father Jagtaran Singh, a doctor, lived for a short time in the village.
The village also celebrated two years ago when Jagmeet became president of the NDP on October 1, 2017.
Jagmeet courted controversies when he was rejected an Indian visa in 2013, as he stated that the Sikh riots of 1984 should be described as genocide. When Canada's ties with India were at their lowest in 2024, following the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Jagmeet expressed support for the Trudeau govt's decision to expel Indian diplomats. After relations strained, the NDP withdrew support from the Trudeau govt in Sept 2024.
Jagmeet was eyeing a third straight victory, but voters denied him the hat-trick of wins, and he lost to the Liberal Party candidate.
After conceding defeat, Jagmeet put up a number of posts on X, saying, "I know this night is disappointing for New Democrats. But we are only defeated when we believe those that tell us we can never dream of a better Canada."
"I am disappointed that we could not win more seats. But I am not disappointed in our movement.
I am hopeful for our Party. I know that we will always choose hope over fear."
"New Democrats built this country. We have built the best of Canada. And we aren't going anywhere."
Pic caption: Jagmeet Singh at Thikriwal village in Punjab as a teenager on August 15, 1993
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
23 minutes ago
- Business Standard
The Trial That Shook Britain: How a court-martial led to India's freedom
The tactical contradictions that doomed earlier revolutionary movements found their dramatic resolution in Bose's audacious gamble with the INA Amritesh Mukherjee Mumbai Listen to This Article The Trial that Shook Britain: How a Court Martial Hastened Acceptance of Indian Independence By Ashis Ray Published by Routledge India 176 pages ₹1,295 Time moves differently in certain moments of history. In early 1945, the future seemed to stretch endlessly before British India. As the empire celebrated victory over fascism abroad, it continued to imprison freedom fighters at home. Bloodied but victorious, it seemed as permanent as the monsoons. Complete independence — purna swaraj —remained exactly what it had always been: Tomorrow's promise, next year's possibility, next decade's dream. What happened in the next few months, then, that Indian freedom would
Mint
23 minutes ago
- Mint
Operation Sindoor was nothing but 'tamasha' of govt in media: Congress MP Praniti Shinde in Lok Sabha
Congress MP Praniti Shinde on Monday called Operation Sindoor a "tamasha" by the government, and claimed it was more of a media show than a real success. Shinde questioned what was actually achieved, how many terrorists were caught, whether any fighter jets were lost, and demanded that the government take responsibility and give clear answers. During the discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha, Praniti Shinde said, '... Operation Sindoor was nothing but a 'tamasha' of the government in the media. No one is telling us what was achieved in this Operation. How many terrorists were caught? How many fighter jets did we lose? Who is responsible and whose mistake is this, should be answered by the government...' Meanwhile, earlier, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh targeted the opposition in the Lok Sabha, accusing them of prioritising the wrong questions during the opening debate on Operation Sindoor. Replying to the questions raised by the Opposition during the Parliament monsoon session about possible Indian aircraft losses, Singh said that their questions did not represent the national sentiments. "In every country, citizens hand over different duties to the opposition and the government. The government's role is to work for the citizens, and the Opposition's role is to ask questions of the government on important matters related to citizens. Few members of the Opposition have been asking how many of our aircraft were shot down? I feel their question does not adequately represent our national sentiments," Singh said. Singh further hailed Operation Sindoor, saying that the military operation that was launched on May 7 in response to the Phalgam terror attack was a "success." "If they must ask a question, it should be whether India destroyed terrorist bases, and the answer to that is, yes... If you have a question to ask, it should be whether Operation Sindoor was a success. The answer is yes. Were terror heads destroyed? Yes. If you have a question to ask, ask this: Were any of our brave soldiers harmed in this operation? The answer is, no, none of our soldiers were harmed...," he further said. Operation Sindoor was carried out in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people on April 22 this year. India targeted nine terror hubs across Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and Pakistan and neutralised over 100 terrorists. After the May 7 operations, India and Pakistan reached a cessation of hostilities understanding on May 10.
Mint
23 minutes ago
- Mint
Chhangur Baba, accused of running religious conversion racket, money laundering, send to five-day ED custody
Chhangur Baba alias Jalaluddin was remanded to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody on Monday by a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Lucknow. The court was hearing a case related to a money laundering investigation against Chhangur and his associates linked to an alleged illegal conversion racket in Uttar Pradesh, officials said. According to a PTI report, Chhangur Baba alias Jalaluddin alias Karimulla Shah has been in jail in the predicate offence case being investigated by the Uttar Pradesh Police's Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS). The ED had applied to the court for his custody following which it was allowed a five-day remand of the accused till August 1, the officials said. He will be questioned in jail and his statement will be recorded under the PMLA, they added. Earlier this month, the federal agency had conducted searches at Chhangur's native place in Balrampur district and two locations in Mumbai. The ED had said that the accused had received funds worth ₹ 60 crore in 22 bank accounts, including 'large amounts' from abroad. The money-laundering case against Chhangur Baba stems from the ATS FIR filed at a police station in Lucknow's Gomti Nagar under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021. Chhangur Baba, his son Mehboob and alleged associates Naveen Rohra alias Jamaluddin and Neetu Rohra alias Nasreen were arrested by the ATS. They are currently lodged in a jail. Chhangur Baba has been accused of being involved in a 'large-scale' conspiracy which includes religious conversions, utilisation of foreign funds, and activities posing a potential threat to national security, as reported by PTI. The ED said, 'Chhangur Baba and his associates are alleged to have established an extensive network operating from the premises of the Chand Auliya Dargah in Balrampur, where he regularly organised large gatherings attended by both Indian and foreign nationals.' 'He is accused of systematically inducing, coercing, and manipulating indiduals of other faiths, particularly Scheduled Castes, and economically disadvantaged persons belonging to Hindu religion, into religous conversion,' the probe agency added. The ED searches also led to the seizure of a number of documents that show that the 'proceeds of crime' (illicit funds) were majorly transferred to different people for purchasing a number of immovable properties worth crores of rupees and carrying out construction in these properties. All the immovable assets acquired by Chhangur Baba are in the names of Naveen Rohra and Neetu Rohra to conceal his actual involvement in money laundering, the ED has said.
