Naresh Bhardwaj

Naresh Bhardwaj
Bhardwaj at the 2013 Tour of Alberta
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Edmonton-Ellerslie
In office
March 3, 2008 – May 5, 2015
Preceded byBharat Agnihotri
Succeeded byRod Loyola
Personal details
Born1959 (age 64–65)[1]
Political partyProgressive Conservative

Nareshindra Bhardwaj (born 1959) is a Canadian politician, who was elected in the 2008 provincial election to represent the electoral district of Edmonton-Ellerslie in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He is a member of the Progressive Conservatives.[2] and was Associate Minister of Persons with Disabilities in the cabinet of Jim Prentice.

Bhardwaj ran 2012 provincial election as an incumbent PC candidate, winning a second term on April 23, 2012. He did not run in the 2015 general election.

He was made Associate Minister of Persons with disabilities in 2013.[3]

Controversy

In March 2015, Bhardwaj was accused of offering a $10,000 bribe to prevent other candidates from challenging him in an election, however he was later cleared of any wrongdoing by an internal PC Party investigation,[4] and the Edmonton Police Service closed their investigation without laying any charges.[5]

At the time of the allegations, Rachel Notley, leader of the Alberta New Democratic Party, requested that Bhardwaj step down and submit to an investigation.[6] In March 2015, Bhardwaj withdrew his name as a candidate for the 2015 general election, however he maintained his innocence in the matter in public statements.[7]

Electoral history

2008 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Ellerslie
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Naresh Bhardwaj 4,581 41.90% 10.08%
Liberal Bharat Agnihotri 3,592 32.86% -0.94%
New Democratic Marilyn Assheton-Smith 1,891 17.30% -4.85%
Wildrose Alliance Krista Leddy 471 4.31% -5.59%
Green Paul J. Boos 335 3.06% –
Social Credit Cheryl Ullah 62 0.57% -1.77%
Total 10,932 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 60 19 2
Eligible electors / turnout 28,944 37.98% -5.45%
Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal Swing 3.54%
Source(s)
Source: "30 - Edmonton-Ellerslie, 2008 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Chief Electoral Officer (2008). The Report on the March 3, 2008 Provincial General Election of the Twenty-Seventh Legislative Assembly (Report). Edmonton, Alta.: Elections Alberta. pp. 290–293. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
2012 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Ellerslie
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Naresh Bhardwaj 5,677 42.97% 1.06%
Wildrose Alliance Jackie Lovely 3,258 24.66% 20.35%
New Democratic Rod Loyola 2,114 16.00% -1.30%
Liberal Jennifer Ketsa 1,504 11.38% -21.47%
Alberta Party Chinwe Okelu 523 3.96% –
Independent Athena Bernal-Born 137 1.04% –
Total 13,213 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 115 39 3
Eligible electors / turnout 26,721 49.89% 11.91%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 4.63%
Source(s)
Source: "33 - Edmonton-Ellerslie, 2012 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Chief Electoral Officer (2012). The Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the 2011 Provincial Enumeration and Monday, April 23, 2012 Provincial General Election of the Twenty-eighth Legislative Assembly (PDF) (Report). Edmonton, Alta.: Elections Alberta. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.

References

  1. ^ "Ellerslie". The Edmonton Journal. February 28, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2013. 54, teacher (his age and occupation)
  2. ^ "Biography for Mr. Naresh Bhardwaj". Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Retrieved April 30, 2009.
  3. ^ "Alberta Cabinet swearing-in ceremony - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  4. ^ Parrish, Julia (March 23, 2015). "Edmonton-Ellerslie MLA withdrawing nomination from PC Party". Edmonton. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  5. ^ Cormier, Ryan (November 2, 2015). "No charges in Edmonton bribery investigation of former MLA Bhardwaj". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  6. ^ Kleiss, Karen (March 13, 2015). "Alberta government minister accused of offering $10,000 bribe should 'step aside,' NDP leader says". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  7. ^ "MLA Naresh Bhardwaj won't run while bribery allegations unresolved". CBC News. March 23, 2015. Retrieved May 24, 2015.


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