Capt Amarinder says BJP panicky as party meets Governor, asks him to put off civic elections

Chandigarh, December 31

A day after BJP leaders requested Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore to defer civic body polls citing “law and order,” Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday claimed that a panicky BJP leadership was unwilling to face the voters amid the outrage over the Centre’s new farm laws.

The Governor had on Wednesday decided to summon the Chief Secretary and DGP to Raj Bhavan to seek a report on incidents of vandalism during the ongoing farmers’ stir after a BJP delegation led by state unit chief Ashwani Sharma met him.

Taking on Sharma for the “false propaganda,” the CM said it was obvious the party feared it might be wiped out in the civic polls. Dismissing the allegation that there was a “Congress-backed plot” to damage mobile towers as “atrocious,” the CM asked, “Are we responsible for the farmers’ angst against the BJP?” Pointing out that following an appeal by him, the number of such incidents had come down, he said, “This clearly exposes the lies being shamelessly mouthed by Sharma”. PCC chief Sunil Jakhar flayed the Governor’s “ill-advised” decision to summon the Chief Secretary and DGP. — TNS