Shuffling of leaders paid off, claims Malik

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 4

Shifting senior leaders, who had problems with the party units in their respective areas during the LS elections, was a wise step taken by the BJP, said state president Shwait Malik on the sidelines of a state-level meeting at the party headquarters here today.

At the meeting, leaders thanked voters for having faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Newly elected MP Som Parkash, secretary Tarun Chugh, general secretary (organisation) Dinesh Kumar, former presidents Vijay Sampla, Manoranjan Kalia, Madan Mohan Mittal, Rajinder Bhandari and Kamal Sharma were also in attendance.

Malik said: “Several top leaders from Gurdaspur were shifted from their native places during the elections. All of them were received warmly. The same exercise was carried out at other places too. A number of senior leaders, including former presidents, campaigned in areas outside their constituencies.

Kamal Sharma was based in Gurdaspur, while former presidents Sampla, Rajinder Bhandari and Mittal campaigned at different places in the state.

The party won 14 seats out of 23. It ally SAD contested from the remaining 94 seats out of 117.

Even SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, while addressing the state leaders at a review meeting after the elections, highlighted the sincerity of BJP workers and its leaders during campaigning.

Malik said: “The Congress has failed to deliver on its promises, be it providing jobs or mobile phones. The Chief Minister has openly accused Navjot Singh Sidhu of eyeing his chair."

At the same time, certain senior leaders are not on the same page with the state president. Requesting anonymity, a former president said: “The state BJP is not in the pink of health as was being shown after its victory. Because of Modi, our party has won. The truth will be in the open one day. A win covers all weaknesses."