Workers welcome Vijay Sankalp Yatra

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, January 4

The Vijay Sankalp Yatra being taken out by the state BJP president Vijay Sampla across the state entered the city to a rousing welcome at Ladhowal toll plaza today, where party leaders and workers had gathered in large numbers.

The yatra would go around all 23 Assembly segments in Punjab, from where the BJP is to put up its candidates for the Assembly elections slated to be held in February.

The yatra commenced its journey from Hussainiwala after paying tributes to martyr trio — Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru — on December 30 and would culminate in Amritsar on January 8.

Sampla, also a Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, addressed party workers as the yatra went around several parts of the city to cover Ludhiana North, Ludhiana Central and Ludhiana West Assembly constituencies and paid obeisance at Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran and Durga Mata Mandir on the way.

Mentioning that the schedule for Punjab Assembly elections had been just announced by the Election Commission of India, he said the party was fully prepared to contest the polls and the list of party candidates would be announced by the Central Parliamentary Board of the party any day now.

In his brief speeches, Sampla listed out major achievements of the SAD-BJP coalition government during the past 10 years and also apprised people with the steps taken by the Modi government at the Centre for the welfare of people. Terming demonetisation decision of the government as a landmark step to fight corruption, black money and curb terrorism, he expressed confidence that the people of Punjab would once again deliver an overwhelming mandate in favour of the ruling alliance so that the good work done in the state as well at Centre by the BJP government could continue.

Noted Bollywood actor and president of Delhi state unit of BJP Manoj Tiwari also accompanied the yatra for some distance and addressed party workers. He said if the people of Punjab continued to move forward on the way to progress and development, they must follow the path shown by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said if the Centre and the state were ruled by the same party or coalition it would be in the greater interest of the state and the people.

Even as the yatra had arrived in the city at a time when dates for Assembly elections in Punjab had been announced, a section of party workers strongly felt that had the party announced its official candidates a bit earlier, the yatra would have served the dual purpose — of mobilising masses in favour of BJP and canvassing support for its candidates fielded in the electoral battle.