CHANDIGARH – DESIBUZZbc/DESIBUZZCanada Founder R. Paul Dhillon was on hand at Government House (Raj Bhawan) in Chandigarh in Sector 6, where Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh and Cabinet swearing in and oath taking was held last Thursday morning. The surprising thing coming out of the record 77-member swearing in ceremony was that veteran Punjab Congressman and 7-time MLA Brahm Mohindra, who was sworn in as number Two behind Amarinder Singh.

Mohindra, who is now the senior most minister after Chief Minister, has been given the portfolios of Health and Family Welfare, Research and Medical Education and Parliamentary Affairs.

Dhillon also met with the now King of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh at a grand party thrown by socialite and politician Kewal Singh Dhillon, who is uncle to Indo-Canadian millionaire and wanna-be billionaire Bob Dhillon of Calgary and first cousin of former Conservative MP Nina Grewal and brother-in-law of former Conservative MP Gurmant Grewal.

The cream of crop from Chandigarh political and social circles along with high profile Ministers such as Dhillon’s family friend Brahm Mohindra, Navjyot Sidhu, Manpreet Badal, Rana Gurjit Singh and high ranking judges, IAS and IPS officers were there at the Dhillon farmhouse just at the outskirts of Chandigarh.

Guests mingled over drinks of finest scotch and whiskey as well Maharaja's favourite red wine (and probably his close friend Aroosa's as well-who was there as well looking ravishing).

Capt. Amarinder and Dhilon had a short five-minute chat where the first thing he said when Dhillon’s cousin Sahibjit Singh Sandhu and senior cabinet minister Brahm Mohindra introduced him to Maharaja and said he is from Vancouver was – "Why are you people so unwelcoming?", Capt. Amarinder said.

Dhillon replied: “Sir now that you are the King of Punjab and the voters have given you a landslide win, you come now for a visit to Vancouver and they will welcome you with open arms. At least more now than before anyway!” At which, Capt. Amarinder Singh laughed and said “I don’t mean you.”

We both laughed and chatted about other things like music and politics and upcoming mandate, at which Amarinder Singh was clear that it won’t be business as usual and Punjab is changing and political-governing system also has to change.

 At 75, Amarinder is still very sharp. “He charmed the shit out of me. Forget your politics – there isn't a leader with the Maharaja's wit and class and by all accounts he seemed ready to shape Punjab the best he can in his last Hurrah,” Dhillon said.

Dhilon also had a number of meetings and talks with his long-time family friend Mohindra along with his cousin Sahibjit Singh Sandhu, who is one of Mohindra’s closest confidantes. Dhillon met up with Mohindra following the swearing in and chatted with him about many issues and those close to NRIs and he promised an open-door policy.

“The NRIs are our brothers and we welcome them home in Punjab and we are here to listen to them. I welcomed them all to make Punjab the Golden Sparrow that it has long been in India,”

Dhillon said he witnessed a change in Congress in terms of how it will carry out it’s agenda and it was visibe by the simple, cost effective and low-key affair in the Swearng In compared to the way Loot-Le-Punjab Akalis did when they won their second straight term.

“It was in keeping with CM Capt. Amarinder's new approach to clean up Punjab's finances which are disarray following 10 years of Akali largesse. But obviously it's time for Congress to eat the Goodies as per tradition in Indian state and central governments that the spoils go to the Victor no matter the financial or social ill state of the political system,” Dhillon said.

“Our friend Brahm Mohindra was given the great honour of taking Oath at Number #2 for his 7-term election as MLA and he is sure to get a top cabinet post. As per protocol – if anything happens to Capt. – Mohindra will be de facto Chief Minister because of him being second in the swearing in order.

“Congrats and big credit for the land-slide Congress win goes to Capt. Amarinder and Navjot Sidhu, who seems to have luck on his side wherever he goes. Kejriwal had the choice of projecting Sidhu as Chief Minister and refused and AAP lost badly even though they will form the official Opposition. But choosing Phoolka over natural political leader Sukhpal Khaira is another bonehead move by Kejriwal. If AAP ever hopes to win, they need strong sharp political men alongside Aam Aadmi types as the lesson to learn from this election is that the urban and Hindu population who have the votes and the education must play a bigger role in AAP,” Dhillon concluded.

Dhilon also met with Capt.’s NRI man Garry Grewal and hung out at the famed Chandigarh Golf Club along with Surrey-based businessman Jasdev Randhawa.