Punjab Cong chief Jakhar moots early elections

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 20

Amid the standoff between the Punjab farmers and the Centre over the resumption of goods trains, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sunil Jakhar today advocated early polls in Punjab which, he said, would be a referendum on the three central farm laws. He described these laws as nothing but slow poisoning.

“The election outcome will come as a shock to the BJP which will be outrightly rejected by the people of Punjab,” Jakhar said in an interaction with The Tribune. “The way the Centre has been treating Punjab is regrettable. The state is being held to ransom by holding back GST and Rural Development Fund and suspending goods trains”, he said.

“The BJP has succeeded in weakening the support for the farmers’ agitation with its divide and rule policy. The farm unions seem to be playing into hands of the saffron party. It is going to be a long-drawn struggle which must be fought politically. It would be naive to believe that the issue would be resolved by holding a rally in Delhi”, the former MP observed.

In view of the dwindling urea stock, he appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure a rake of urea for Punjab.

“The moment this is done, the farmers will withdraw their stir,” Jakhar claimed.