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Punjab: BJP’s much-hyped ‘yatra’ on drugs deferred again
The BJP's anti-drug yatra in Punjab has been postponed for the fourth time due to the party's outreach campaign to promote Modi government's achievements and uncertainty over an alliance with former ally SAD. BJP leaders believe that without an alliance partner, the party cannot make a mark in the 2024 polls. State BJP chief Ashwani Sharma said the decision regarding the yatra would be taken by the party high command at an appropriate time.
Chandigarh
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) much-hyped yatra against drugs in Punjab has been postponed again.
Considering the drug menace as a potential political issue at the grassroots level in Punjab, the BJP was to take out the yatra with a plan to involve senior leaders from Delhi.
This is for the fourth time that party’s mega event has been deferred. According to the earlier plan, Union home minister Amit Shah was to launch the yatra in March this year. It was postponed keeping in view the law-and-order situation emerging out of activities of ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief Amritpal Singh.
A senior Punjab BJP leader said: “The March yatra was deferred due to security reasons. The BJP even had finalised the programme for the event.”
Earlier, the yatra was planned from November 20 last year but keeping in view the involvement of senior party leaders in Gujarat and Himachal assembly elections, it was deferred to January and then to March.
The latest schedule of the yatra has been postponed across the country because the BJP has planned mega outreach campaign to promote the achievements of nine year’s rule of the Modi government at the Centre, said a senior party functionary.
“We don’t think there is immediate plan for the yatra against drugs as the party is not clear on possibilities of an alliance with the SAD, its former ally. A large section of the BJP leadership in state is of strong opinion that party doesn’t have any chance in the 2024 polls if it fails to tie-up with the SAD,” a senior party functionary said.
The yatra was initially planned in 2016 amid growing tussle with its ally SAD. It was postponed after intervention of a senior party leader at the national level and both parties jointly contested the 2017 assembly polls.
State BJP leaders, especially those who left the Congress and joined the saffron party recently, are of the view that the party cannot make a mark by contesting without an alliance partner in the 2024 polls.
“The party stood fourth in the recently conducted Jalandhar bypoll. The party didn’t get much support in the rural areas of the constituency. You cannot win Lok Sabha seats banking on the urban strongholds,” said a former Congress minister who has recently joined the BJP.
SAD’s move to side with the BJP on the inauguration of the new Parliament building by the Prime Minister is being seen as a move of both parties cosying up again.
State BJP chief Ashwani Sharma said the decision regarding the yatra would be taken at an appropriate time by the party high command.
