IThe Bharatiya Janata Party believes that its fight is against time and not any political party in Punjab. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, union minister and the BJP’s election incharge of the state, said that the party is gearing up with full force for the assembly election contest early next year even though it didn’t get time to strengthen its organisation here as it always backed Shiromani Akali Dal, its erstwhile ally for 23 years.
“Our fight is against time. Had we got more time to put the organisation in place, no one would even be asking us whether we can form a government or not,” said Shekhawat when asked who is the BJP’s principal opponent in Punjab.
Shekhawat said that out of 384 mandals, the party has been able to constitute 380.
Responding to queries on whether the BJP is ready for virtual rallies if the Election Commission asks the campaign to shift online because of fears of another Covid wave led by the fast-spreading Omicron variant, the minister said his party is prepared.
“Even during the West Bengal elections (April-May 2021), we had virtual rallies and we are always ready to hold virtual rallies. Even during Covid peak, we had our organisational meetings virtually,” said Shekhawat.
While the union minister is looking forward to the contest, there are others in the BJP who recall the harrowing time the party has faced in Punjab.
“BJP workers had faced difficult times when politically motivated groups sat on dharnas in front of their houses. And from that stage to now when there are sitting MLAs and veteran leaders from other outfits lining up to join the party, we have come a long way in a very short span of time. Why do you think sitting MLAs want to join us? They see the future of Punjab in the BJP,” said a senior leader of the party.
BJP leaders deny any possibility of an alliance with the Akalis now that the Centre’s controversial farm laws, which spurred year-long protests in parts of the country, have been repealed.
“We strengthened the Akalis in Punjab at the cost of our party. There are 66 seats in Punjab where the Hindu population is about 50 per cent. Our affiliates have a strong voter base and supporters in those seats. They all voted for the Akalis,” stated another senior leader.
The BJP also does not appear deterred by the Chandigarh municipal corporation poll results this week in which the Aam Aadmi Party got the lead. It feels people vote differently in various levels of elections.
According to party leaders, there was anti-incumbency against it and yet it gave a close fight to AAP while the Congress and the Akalis were decimated.
Ask BJP leaders how will they defend an alliance with former Congress chief minister Amarinder Singh when it is his government they criticised for years, and pat comes the reply: “He wasn’t allowed to take any decision. It was taken by the high command and that is why he had to leave before finishing his term.”
While it is expecting more people to join the party, the BJP fears more conspiracies threatening to tear the social fabric of the state that has seen its law and order situation deteriorate in recent days.
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