Elections in mind, Punjab BJP set to launch ‘go to village’ campaign

Vishav Bharti

Chandigarh, January 31

Having no poll pact with SAD and facing hostility from Punjab’s countryside since the days of the farmers’ protest, the state BJP is trying hard to make inroads into the villages of the state. The party is planning to launch ‘go to village’ campaign in the coming days.

According to sources in the BJP, the party has asked each of its local leaders to choose a village and stay put there for two to three nights and mingle with people. The leaders will share the photographs of their activities in the village with party leadership through SARL app.

Apart from this, the leaders have been asked to meet those leaders in the villages who have recently lost the elections of panchayat, zila parishad or block samitis. The leaders have been given the brief that meet sarpanches and panches or local leaders across the party line and try to win them over.

In continuity of that plan, state party’s general secretary (organisation) M Srinivasulu is holding meetings of local leaders of various Lok Sabha constituencies later this week. He will start with meetings in Bathinda and Faridkot Lok Sabha constituencies.

For almost 25 years before it fell apart with SAD, the saffron party was limited to urban areas only. It would contest just 23 urban seats and left the entire countryside for former alliance partner SAD. During the farmers’ movement against three farm laws in 2020-21, the party faced strong resistance from the villages and its leaders were often roughed up by farm unions.

With a plan to go solo on all 13 Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the saffron party is already in election mode. It has been giving a bike and Rs 15,000 as fuel allowance every month to one organiser in each assembly constituency. Besides a bike, the party is also considering giving a car to organiser of each of the 13 Lok Sabha constituencies.