Claims, counter-claims on BJP candidate hot up

Sanjiv Kumar Bakshi
Hoshiarpur, April 19

While the party ticket for the constituency has become a prestige issue for Union MoS Vijay Sampla and Phagwara MLA Som Parkash, the BJP is trying to be double sure before finalising the candidate.

According to sources, two days ago, the party once again tried to get a survey conducted in the constituency regarding winnability of the candidate.

Supports of Vijay Sampla and Som Parkash are making claims and counter-claims of getting the ticket in their favour, heating up the political atmosphere and creating a buzz on the social media.

Amidst this, party workers at the grassroots level are in the lunch as they do not know for whom they should seek votes.

Interestingly, the BJP has opened its election office in Hoshiarpur, but the party is yet to announce its candidate. The office is wearing a deserted look these days.

Moreover, factionalism within the BJP is also coming to the fore. Supporters are hopeful that the ticket will be given to their respective leaders.

Pictures claiming that the party has declared its candidates from Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur and Amritsar are being on the social media.

A message in which it is being stated that the BJP is going to give the ticket to actor Sunny Deol from Amritsar, Swaran Salaria from Gurdaspur and Vijay Sampla from Hoshiarpur has been circulating on the social media for the past two days.

After the inauguration of the election office, members of the Tikshan Sood group have been supporting Som Parkash. Pictures of Som Parkash with garlands are being shared on the social media, showing him as the party candidate.

Amid all of this, the name of a former Congress MP from Jalandhar is also being discussed among party leaders and speculations are rife that he may join the BJP and contest from Hoshiarpur. Sources in the party said all these discussions are rumours.

According to them, the party has not decided the candidate.