Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Punjab unit chief Sunil Jakhar’s absence from the state politics has created confusion among the rank and file of the party ahead of the crucial bypolls on four assembly seats in the state scheduled to be held on November 13.
Jakhar, who had not attended party meetings for almost 2 months, was present on October 17 during the swearing-in ceremony of the BJP government in Haryana. He not only welcomed the dignitaries at the Mohali airport but was also present at the various party meetings held later in the evening.
Jakhar, on Tuesday, was also present at a crucial meeting in the national capital in which all the state presidents participated. The meeting has been called to discuss the ongoing membership of the party. However, his absence from the state has left the leaders perplexed.
“This is an embarrassing situation for the party wherein the state president is not attending crucial preparations for the high-stake bypolls, while he is attending party meetings outside Punjab. It is like going to war without a general,” said a former MLA of the party, pleading anonymity.
On Wednesday, Jakhar again gave the party’s crucial programmes a miss in which Punjab affairs incharge and former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani addressed party workers in Barnala and Gidderbaha related to the November 13 bypolls in Punjab. Later, the Punjab BJP also posted a video about Jakhar and the Prime Minister with the title ‘Punjab Di Gall Jaroori Hai’, officially launching the party’s campaign for the bypolls.
{{/usCountry}}On Wednesday, Jakhar again gave the party’s crucial programmes a miss in which Punjab affairs incharge and former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani addressed party workers in Barnala and Gidderbaha related to the November 13 bypolls in Punjab. Later, the Punjab BJP also posted a video about Jakhar and the Prime Minister with the title ‘Punjab Di Gall Jaroori Hai’, officially launching the party’s campaign for the bypolls.
{{/usCountry}}BJP has declared three out of four candidates for these polls. BJP leader and former Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal has been fielded from the Gidderbaha assembly seat, while Ravi Karan Singh Kahlon will contest from Dera Baba Nanak and Kewal Singh Dhillon from Barnala.
Jakhar also shared a post on ‘X’ thanking the Prime Minister for extending the agreement with Pakistan on the Kartarpur Corridor for the next five years.
“This extension of the agreement is a big relief for the Sikh followers. I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this gesture. I hope this corridor will help reduce the distances between the two countries,” Jakhar said in his post.
When contacted, Jakhar remained non-committal to joining party activities. “Let us see what happens,” Jakhar said when specifically asked if he would take part in teh party activities ahead of the bypolls.