"Irrespective of whose son or grandson you may be, you can be rejected by the electorate"

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: Manpreet Badal, Randeep Surjewala and Conrad Sangma, three young ministers from three different states — Punjab, Haryana and Meghalaya, respectively — and parties, have one thing in common. They have all had a political mentor in the family, but have come into their own. Manpreet Badal, 46, is the finance minister of Punjab, nephew of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and first cousin of Sukhbir Badal, president of the Akali Dal. The first-time minister and four-time MLA is a history graduate and holds a degree in law. Randeep Surjewala, Haryana’s 41-year-old minister for power, is the son of Shamsher Singh Surjewala. In 2000, Randeep became the chief of the Youth Congress, a post he held for five years. An advocate in his own right, he defeated Om Prakash Chautala in the previous elections. Conrad, 30, is the son of former Lok Sabha speaker P A Sangma, one of the brightest leaders from the North-East. Conrad is both power and finance minister of Meghalaya. He is a first-time NCP MLA who holds an MBA degree and has studied law. The three young leaders joined us for an Idea Exchange session moderated by Resident Editor, Chandigarh, Vipin Pubby

Vipin Pubby: Could you begin by telling us a little about yourselves and what it is like to be young ministers in a political scenario dominated by elderly politicians.

Manpreet Badal: Whatever else I may be, at heart I am actually just a student of history with a passion for Urdu poetry and Iqbal. After law degree from England, I decided to come back and join politics. I have been an MLA since 1995 but this is the first time I have become a minister.