BJP divided on Majithia’s ouster

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 22

BJP leaders seem to be divided on seeking Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia’s resignation after the Election Directorate (ED) summoned him in a multi-crore drug smuggling case.

While BJP National Secretary Tarun Chugh, a leader from Amritsar, urged Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to follow the precedent of morality set by him and ask Majithia to resign, 12 BJP MLAs, who are part of the government, chose not to raise the issue in the legislature party meeting held today with its coalition partner Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), ahead of the three-day Assembly session.

Anil Joshi, Minister for Local Bodies and a senior BJP leader, said: “We are in a coalition government. We will stand by the Akalis on the issue unless the party leadership instructs otherwise. For now, we will go by the Chief Minister’s decision.”

Meanwhile, state BJP president Kamal Sharma, who had sought Majithia’s resignation yesterday, took a U-turn today. A day after he said Majithia should quit in the interest of a fair probe, he today said the party would support the Akalis and would not move a no-confidence motion against the government in the Vidhan Sabha over the issue. "The BJP will not play in the hands of the Congress and will firmly stand by the SAD," he said.

However, Chugh questioned if it was moral for the Revenue Minister to continue or for the CM to allow him. He said by seeking the Revenue Minister's resignation, the party was trying to protect the government's image. "Majithia should have himself offered to resign. He can join the government as and when he comes clear of the charges," he said.

Chugh asked the Congress not to "politicise" the issue. Slamming Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Partap Singh Bajwa for "politicising" the sensitive issue of drugs for "vested interests", Chugh said the Congress should look within before issuing statements as a number of its leaders were also accused of links with drug lords.