Change of leadership in Punjab BJP on cards

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 3

The long-awaited change of guard in the state BJP is on the cards. The state unit is likely to get a new president soon.

According to sources, former Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president and now BJP leader Sunil Jakhar is among the frontrunners. Jakhar refused to comment saying that he had not received any official confirmation yet.

BJP state president Ashwani Sharma junked rumours of his resignation from the post. In a tweet, Sharma said he had not resigned as it was not part of the BJP’s culture to resign from posts.

The change of guard at the top in the state BJP is in the making for the past one year. Last year, party national general secretary and in-charge of the BJP’s state unit Dushyant Gautam had said that for many years, the BJP functioned as a junior ally contesting just 23 Assembly seats in Punjab.

He laid emphasis on expanding the party’s organisational structure with a new leadership. With an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the party has already pushed its top leaders to take stock of its functioning in all 13 Lok Sabha constituencies.

Last year, the party had appointed three union ministers to look after the work of nine Lok Sabha constituencies. Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Shekhawat was made in-charge of three constituencies — Anandpur Sahib, Hoshiarpur and Bathinda.

Union Minister Arjun Meghwal was looking after the work of the Amritsar, Jalandhar and Gurdaspur seats, while Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya was asked deal with the Patiala, Sangrur and Ludhiana constituencies.

Besides, two other central leaders — Hardeep Singh Puri, who recently visited Bathinda, and Minakshi Lekhi, who visited Gurdaspur – are also pitching in. Shekhawat concluded his two-day visit to the Anandpur Sahib constituency today.

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