To strengthen hold, BJP to open offices in 10 districts

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 23

Senior leaders of the Haryana BJP on Monday performed “bhoomi pujan”, an auspicious ceremony at the time of laying foundation stone of a building, for the construction of permanent party offices in 10 districts of the state.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar performed the “bhoomi pujan” in Panchkula.

State BJP president Subhash Barala, Forest Minister Rao Narbir Singh and Organising Secretary Suresh Bhatt performed the ceremony in Gurugram, Women and Child Development Minister Kavita Jain in Sonepat, Industries and Commerce Minister Vipul Goel in Nuh, Food and Supplies Minister Karan Dev Kamboj in Palwal, and Transport Minister Krishan Lal Panwar in Kaithal. Senior district-level office-bearers of the party performed the ritual in Ambala, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri and Fatehabad.

BJP president Amit Shah has already inaugurated the party’s permanent office in Jind during his visit to the district in February.

Sources say the BJP plans to organise “bhoomi pujan” in Hisar, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Rohtak and Rewari next month, while construction of offices in Sirsa, Panipat and Yamunanagar can begin in two months.

The site for office in Jhajjar and Panipat has been selected. The construction will begin as soon as the process of approval of site plans is completed, the sources say.

This is perhaps the biggest exercise by any political party in Haryana ever since the state came into existence in 1966.

Barala evaded questions about the expenditure on the construction of offices and the money spent on buying the land.

“I don’t know about the cost offhand. As for the plots, these are of different dimensions ranging from 500 sq yards to 2,000 sq yards or even more. Land was purchased at different points of time from HUDA and private parties,” Barala said.

The state BJP president said the offices would have rooms for district-level office-bearers of the party as well as a meeting hall and a press conference hall.

He added expenditure on the construction would be borne from the contributions collected by the party through “Aajeewan Sahyog Nidhi” whereby party workers donate money annually.