Buzz on leadership change in Punjab BJP

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 9

While there is nothing official about any change in leadership in the BJP’s Punjab unit, the party headquarter in New Delhi is witnessing hectic lobbying by claimants for the post of the state president.

Baseless, says Rupani

BJP in-charge for Punjab affairs Vijay Rupani denied as “baseless” any move to replace Sunil Jakhar as the president of the state unit. However, he did not deny that party leaders were presenting their cases for elevation to the party high command.

Talking to The Tribune today, party in-charge for Punjab affairs Vijay Rupani denied as “baseless” any move to replace Sunil Jakhar as the president of the state unit. However, he did not deny that party leaders were presenting their cases for elevation to the party high command.

The issue has gained relevance with the BJP recently appointing new state chiefs in Bihar and Rajasthan. A senior party leader said, “Our top party functionaries have spoken about the change of presidents in eight states.”

Among the names doing the rounds are former senior Congress leaders Kewal Singh Dhillon and Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi who had earlier joined the BJP. Having contested from the Sangrur parliamentary seat on a Congress ticket in 2019, Dhillon was fielded as a BJP nominee in the 2022 byelection. A former Cabinet minister in the Congress government, Sodhi joined the BJP in December 2021 and is known for his easy access to the party’s Cabinet ministers.

The big names of the BJP in the fray for the president’s post are former state chief Ashwani Sharma, vice-president of the state unit Subhash Sharma, general secretary Anil Sareen and vice-president Jatinder Mittal. Although national general secretary Tarun Chugh is learnt to have never asked for the post, he is among the top candidates under consideration, party sources said.

“There is a move to seek a change because the old guard is not happy with Jakhar’s style of functioning. He does not take the old guard into confidence and openly airs his difference of opinion over party matters. A section of workers is dissatisfied. We lost from our strongholds of Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur in the recent elections,” a senior party leader said.

While Jakhar could not be contacted, sources close to him rubbished the rumours. They said, “These baseless rumours are being spread by selfish leaders. Jakhar has never said he is quitting the post. More importantly, the party high command is happy with him.”

They said, “At a national-level function when Jakhar expressed unhappiness over the party losing from all 13 parliamentary seats in Punjab, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appreciated his work. The party recorded its highest vote share of 18.56 per cent in the elections. Importantly, this happened after the party fought independently at all 13 seats. Earlier, the party used to contest only on three seats while it was in alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal.”