Saffron party cancels launch of campaign for Mansa polls
Item
Title
Saffron party cancels launch of campaign for Mansa polls
Description
Bathinda: The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), under fire for implementing three widely opposed agriculture laws, is finding it tough to prepare for the upcoming local body elections in various parts of Punjab’s Malwa region. Protests against senior party leaders Surjit Kumar Jayani and Harjit Singh Grewal, both of whom belong to Malwa, is learnt to have further dampened the spirits of party cadres. Party leaders had gone to kickstart electioneering for elections to Mansa municipal corporation (MC) on Sunday, but had to shelve it due to opposition from farmers and others, according to party insiders. On December 25, BJP leaders had faced opposition from farmers when the party wanted to observe the birth anniversary of ex-PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The situation has come to such a pass that many BJP leaders desirous of contesting elections are preferring to contest as independents, said insiders. Party leadership has, however, said it would contest elections on party symbol. BJP, anyway, is not considered on a strong footing in Malwa. Earlier, the party had been contesting these elections in alliance with Shiromani Akali Dal and acting as ajunior partner in thestate, including in two municipal corporations (MCs) of Bathinda and Moga. Farm leader and BKU (Ekta Dakonda) vice-president Manjit Singh Dhaner said farmers would continue holding protests against BJP and not allow them to hold functions even in towns.. BJP state vice-president Dyal Dass Sodhi said as every political party had the right to contest the elections and indulge in electioneering, the state government must ensure an atmosphere where party leaders would feel free to hold campaigning and contest elections. “The fear psychosis should not be there as it is not right in any democracy. Every political party has to take forward its political agenda,” he said. He added though there was an uneasy calm, the party would contest the elections on party symbol.
Publisher
The Times of India
Date
2021-01-19
Coverage
Chandigarh