Farmers Movement Archive

BJP plans to contest all 117 seats in Punjab

Hoping to gain ground in Punjab after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to repeal three farm laws, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked its state and the district units to identify probable candidates for all 117 assembly segments of the state.The BJP has been at the receiving end of the farmer unions’ ire in Punjab that is the hotbed of the agitation. Their leaders have been repeatedly targeted by protesters, who halted their movement, disrupted meetings and even laid siege to houses of some of them, in the past one year. According to the strategy chalked out by the BJP after several rounds of meetings that were chaired by party’s election in-charge and Union minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, it has decided to take feedback from constituency in-charges and block committees which will send names of all probable candidates to district units. “The entire process will be completed by December 10. The party has decided to go full steam to contest elections on all the seats,” said a party general secretary. No discussion yet on pact with Capt’s party According to a core group member of the party, no discussion was held on the possibilities of an alliance with Amarinder’s new party. “We have been asked to increase political activities in all segments across the state. There is plan to start the mega outreach drive in which central leaders are expected to reach out to be people of Punjab, but that will finalised once the three controversial farm laws are repealed in Parliament,” said the party’s core group member from Doaba. As the party will contest more seats as compare to 23 it used to fight in Punjab, there is plan to increase organisational strength at the booth-level, Shekhawat was quoted by a news channel. “The BJP-led central government has fulfilled two major demands of Punjabis, including opening up of Kartarpur Corridor and the repeal of farm laws,” he said. Sekhawat said the party was ready to contest all 117 seats in Punjab, according to a party release. The election in-charge, it is learnt, has taken feedback from the state unit leaders about chances of the BJP in the state following PM’s announcement of repealing farm laws. Union external affairs minister Meenakshi Lekhi, who is co-incharge of the party for assembly polls in Punjab, also attended the meeting. Party thanks Takht jatehdar The party has thanked Akal Takht jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh for his statement after Modi’s announcement of repealing the farm laws in which he termed the announcement as important for the communal harmony of Punjab. “We thank Jathedar saab for his stand. He has acknowledged the decision of the Prime Minister,” said state BJP chief Ashwani Sharma. Akali Dal can join hands as younger brother: BJPPunjab BJP in-charge Dushyant Gautam said the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), if willing, can rejoin hands with the BJP but only as a younger brother.“Earlier, the BJP was younger brother in Punjab. But now, if Akali Dal thinks it is interested in a coalition with us, the party will consider it only in role of a younger brother,” said Gautam, adding that the BJP is prepared to contest on all seats.

Hindustan Times

24-11-2021

Chandigarh