No decision on Dalit CM face: Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 28

Seemingly aimed at targeting SAD chief Sukhbir Badal in his Ferozepur Lok Sabha constituency, the state BJP leadership today formally announced Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the town for a ‘historic rally’ on January 5. The PM is slated to lay the foundation stone of PGI satellite centre there. The party also denied claims of having decided on putting up a Dalit CM face in Punjab.

State BJP president Ashwani Sharma and general secretary Subhash Sharma held a meeting of party office-bearers from across the state wherein they were given a target of ensuring a gathering of 5 lakh people for the rally. The party leaders were told to arrange for 3,200 buses from across Punjab, including 250 from Jalandhar.

A party insider said the rally was earlier planned for Ludhiana, but the venue was changed later. “The party decided to launch its campaign through a show of strength on Sukhbir’s turf, especially since the central leadership is unhappy at the Akalis dumping them in the hour of crisis. There are other factors too for choosing the venue. The party recently roped in former Congress minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, who is from the area. It is a rural Hindu belt with sizeable BJP following,” said a party leader.

Denying claims on putting up a Dalit CM face, Sharma said: “Sentiments of an individual do not reflect the party’s stand. A final call over such a vital decision has to be taken by the parliamentary board of the party,” he said. During Ambedkar Jayanti in April, BJP’s national general secretary Tarun Chugh had made the announcement of a Dalit CM face. Regarding an FIR against former SAD minister Bikram Majithia, he said: “Since the matter is sub judice, it will not be appropriate to comment.”

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