Ahead of Shah’s visit, lobbying for post of city BJP chief begins

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 19

With the BJP gearing up for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, hectic lobbying has begun for the city MP ticket as well as the post of the local BJP president ahead of party chief Amit Shah’s visit tomorrow.

Chandigarh is likely to get new president after the third consecutive term of Sanjay Tandon as the local unit chief ends.

The BJP high command has not ruled out his name for the city MP ticket as he has grown in stature after serving as the local unit chief for the past seven years. However, present MP Kirron Kher, who is on an inauguration spree these days, is also confident of contesting for the second time. Kher has already started holding janta darbars in different wards of the city.

In the past three days, Kher has laid foundation stones of four government high schools in Maloya and Raipur Kalan apart from a community centre at Kajheri village in Sector 52 on May 19. The city BJP has always been divided in four camps belonging to Tandon, Kher, former MP Satya Pal Jain and Harmohan Dhawan.

Meanwhile, Tandon, Mayor Asha Kumari Jaswal and former Mayor Arun Sood today held a meeting with Prabhat Jha, BJP national vice-president and the in-charge of the local BJP unit, at the party’s office, Kamlam. Jaswal’s name is doing rounds for the post of the party chief in the city. When asked, Jha said, “The decision on the issues will be taken by the central leadership.”

Avoid these roads today 

BJP national president Amit Shah will land at the international airport and proceed towards the city BJP office in Sector 33.  His cavalcade will pass through the motor market, Sector 48, to Faidan Barrier and the light point in Sector 47. It will then take a left turn towards the community centre, Sector 47, and then proceed towards the Sector 46/47 small chowk  and the T-point in Sector 46-A. It will again take a left turn and then right turn to the light point of Sectors 45 and 46 before going towards the Sector 45/46/32/33 chowk. It will again take a left turn towards the Sector 33/45 light point; then right turn to the T-point Sector 33 C & D and then left turn to Sector 33-D. It will gain take a right turn to the BJP Office in Sector 33. The route should be avoided from 10 am to 1 pm.  Around 500 policemen will be deployed for the visit. 

Jha slams Kejriwal, Amarinder

Prabhat Jha, BJP national vice-president and the in-charge of the city BJP, slammed AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Amarinder Singh. The Rajya Sabha member said Kejriwal was the biggest abuse in the Indian politics while Amarinder was also completing his last wish of ruling the state for the one last time and had failed to fulfil the promises made to people. He was in Chandigarh today to review arrangements for party president Amit Shah’s visit to the city. Shah will be arriving in the city on Saturday as part of his countrywide 95-day tour on Saturday. He will hold meetings with local councillors, party leaders and workers. His will also inaugurate newly renovated BJP office and unveil a statue of RSS icon Pt Deendayal Upadhyay. TNS