Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma (Express Photo) The newly forged alliance of the BJP, Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) and the SAD (Sanyukt) are yet to hammer out a seat sharing formula, as the saffron party is yet to nominate its share of two members to the six-member panel formed to decide on the candidates.
BJP state president Ashwani Sharma said: “two members each from BJP, PLC and SAD (Sanyukt) will together decide on candidates for all the 117 constituencies. However, we are yet to name our two members of the party. It will be done soon”/
“A decision is yet to take place regarding seat distribution between the alliance partners,” Sharma added while launching party membership drive through missed call from Ludhiana.
Union Minister Gajendra Shekhawat, who is BJP’s poll in charge for the state, on Monday had announced that a six-member panel, with two members from each constituent party, will finalise the seat-sharing pact amongst the BJP, Capt Amarinder Singh-led PLC and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa’s SAD (Sanyukt) for the Punjab polls. The three parties will also issue a joint manifesto.
Meanwhile, introducing the cellphone number 9227772222 for giving missed call to connect with BJP, Shekhawat said, “We will be reviewing the membership drive on a daily basis. The details of a person giving missed call from a particular area will automatically reach that area’s party workers who will get in touch with them”
On rumours about Punjab Cabinet Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu planning to join the BJP, Sharma said: “Ashu himself can clarify on it”.
Later in the day, Ashu claimed that he was not going anywhere and is firmly with the Congress. “Only non-performers in the Congress party were switching over to other parties,” Ashu said.
Sharma, meanwhile, said that though the SAD-BJP alliance remained in power for 12 years in the past 20 years, but still “in the past 20 years only promises were made but nothing was delivered”.
“The Modi government at Centre has done more in seven years for the common man. It is something that people of this state have finally realised and want to vote in a government that can give better governance and facilities. Many people want to join BJP and that is why we have started this missed call service,” Sharma added.
Chai pe charcha
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Ferozepur visit on January 5, BJP leaders can be seen holding “chai pe charcha’ (discussions over tea) in various parts of Punjab. Party state president Ashwani Sharma had tea with commuters at Ludhiana’s Mata Rani Chowk Friday morning while party state secretary Jeevan Gupta did the same in Ferozepur. Sharma was also seen at a famous tea stall in Ferozepur Cantt on Thursday. Both leaders claimed that discussion happened with masses over a wide variety of subjects over tea.
Meanwhile, after a long time, BJP leaders could be seen interacting with people in public. The party had earlier been facing protests even at their closed-door meetings from farmers who had been protesting against the three farm laws that now stand repealed.
Several senior party leaders are now camping in Ferozepur to oversee the arrangements for the rally where PM will also lay the foundation stone of PGI satellite centre. In addition, he will also virtually lay foundation stones of Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur Medical Colleges, each costing Rs 325 crore.
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