In apparent dig at Sidhu, BJP says no personality bigger than party

Chandigarh, August 28 

In an apparent reference to cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu who had resigned from the Rajya Sabha, the BJP on Sunday said the party was bigger than any personality and no one should think otherwise.

BJP national vice president and in-charge of Punjab affairs, Prabhat Jha made the remarks on the concluding day of the party’s two-day brainstorming session ahead of the 2017 assembly polls.

“There is one person who has resigned and I will not name him. We know he is basically not a politician. Had he been a politician, he would not have resigned,” said Jha.

“There is no need to worry. Party is bigger than any personality. We do not stop anyone, the doors are open.

Whosoever wants to serve the country, he is welcome. But if your aspirations have soared to such a level where you think that party is small and I am big, it cannot happen,” he added.

Sidhu, a former Lok Sabha MP, had resigned from the Rajya Sabha. He had claimed that he quit the Rajya Sabha as the BJP had asked him to stay away from Punjab.

Jha asserted that the BJP was a cadre-based party and that there had been many examples of leaders in the past who had left the party “but the workers stayed with the party”.

Jha also exhorted the party cadre to gear up to bring Akali-BJP combine to power in Punjab for the third time.

The BJP will contest on 23 seats out of total 117 assembly constituencies in Punjab, in alliance with Prakash Singh Badal’s SAD.

“We have a target of winning 23 seats and preparations in this regard are underway. The party will nominate persons who have 100 per cent chances of winning,” he said.

He also asked Punjab BJP president and Union minister Vijay Sampla to give more time to the state in the wake of upcoming assembly polls.

Jha exhorted the party cadre to apprise voters of the performance of the Centre by going door-to-door.

“Tell them (people) about the benefits of GST. Tell them how Modi government has controlled the inflation with facts and figures,” said Jha. — PTI