BJP to go solo in all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab

Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar said the BJP had decided to contest elections in the state alone.

Chandigarh: After “talks” with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) remained inconclusive, the BJP on Tuesday announced its decision to go alone in all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab slated on June 1.

Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar said the BJP had decided to contest elections in the state alone.

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“We took this call after wide consultations with the people, party leaders and workers. The decision is aimed at a bright future of Punjab’s youth, farmers, traders, and backward classes. The works done for Punjab under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership are evident.

“In the last 10 years, every grain of produce by Punjab farmers has been procured and fair MSP (minimum support price) sent to the bank accounts of farmers within a week,” said Jakhar, adding “the decision has been taken in the interest of a safe and secure border state of Punjab and I am sure people will support the BJP in the June 1 election.”

Snapping over two-decade-long ties, the SAD pulled out of the National Democratic Alliance in September 2020 after sharp differences emerged over the now-repealed three controversial farm laws.

The SAD was one of the oldest allies of the BJP. It was among the first to support the 13-day Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, the shortest Prime Minister’s stint in India’s history, in 1996.

To rebuild the beleaguered party and prevent further exodus of leaders, SAD chief Sukhbir Badal, who was known as the ‘Super Chief Minister’ when the party was at the helm, is on his toes.

His wife, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who held the portfolio of Food Processing Industry in both the Modi-led Central governments, is raking up state-specific issues in the Parliament.

The husband-wife duo won the parliamentary polls in 2019.

Last week, the Shiromani Akali Dal in the meeting of its core committee, the top decision-making body of the Akalis, passed a resolution hinting that the party might go alone in the Lok Sabha polls.

The resolution said “the party’s principles are over politics and it sought to resolve the issues concerning Punjab and the Sikhs as a pre-requisite for an alliance with the BJP, hinting that “no alliance was possible at this stage”.