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Civic body polls: Jakhar ‘missing’, Rupani takes charge, to chair key Punjab BJP meet today
On Monday, the party finalised tickets for the municipal councils and majority of candidates for the municipal corporations will be finalised on Tuesday
With Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar missing for party activities, senior leader Vijay Rupani has been entrusted with the responsibility to steer the party campaign in the December 21 civic body polls.
Rupani, the party’s Punjab affairs incharge, landed in Chandigarh on Monday to oversee preparations and will chair a crucial meeting of party functionaries for the local body elections.
In the Monday meetings, the tickets for the municipal councils were finalised and majority of candidates for the municipal corporations will be finalised on Tuesday.
“The high command had no choice but to entrust Rupani with the responsibility in the absence of Jakhar. These polls are very crucial for us and Rupani has been asked to lead from the front,” said a senior BJP leader who was part of the Monday meeting.
Rupani has appointed incharges to manage the campaign and organisational efforts for the upcoming polls and state organisational secretary Manthri Shrinivasulu has been tasked with assisting him.
The civic body polls are being seen as the litmus test for the saffron party especially considering the fact that it boasts of considerable support in the urban areas.
The elections in Ludhiana, Amritsar, Patiala, Jalandhar, and Phagwara municipal corporations are especially critical, as all except Patiala were BJP strongholds during its alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). With almost the entire Congress leadership joining BJP in Patiala, the party is also sensing its chance in the city as well with former union minister Preneet Kaur leading the charge.
“Absence of state chief could pose significant challenges as the party is already late in starting the process to finalise the candidates. As the process of nomination has already started and would end on December 12, the party on Monday invited applications for the allotment of the tickets,” disclosed a senior BJP leader, who did not wish to be named.
Jakhar has been conspicuous by his absence from the day-to-day working of the party even during the crucial bypolls on the four seats in the state.
As per sources within the party, Jakhar has reportedly submitted his resignation and remains firm in his decision to stay away from party activities.
“Our stand is clear from day one. Until there is clarity on how the party will address organisational issues in Punjab, Jakhar saab will not attend any meetings,” said Jakhar’s close aide, pleading anonymity.
Jakhar was last seen publically during the swearing-in ceremony of the Nayab Singh Saini government in Haryana. He has also been active on microblogging site X giving his comments on political issues.
While Rupani remained busy in the meetings till late in the evening on Monday, Jakhar could also not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
His close aide said that Jakhar is in Delhi and is expected to return to the city on Tuesday.
Bittu rules out any truck with SAD
Ludhiana Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu dismissed the reports that the BJP will form an alliance with SAD for the civic body polls.
Bittu, who was in Ludhiana, said he was confident that the BJP will do well in the municipal corporation elections. “The results of parliamentary elections suggested that people in cities supported the BJP. If the city residents want development they should vote for BJP. AAP has failed to deliver and this was the reason they were delaying municipal corporation elections. Congress is not in the power either in the state or in the Centre, so there is no use of voting in favour of them,” Bittu said.
