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Ludhiana | Local leaders overlooked in BJP’s star-studded posters
BJP’s posters feature Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, party president JP Nadda, poll campaign in-charge Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, co-incharge for the state Meenakshi Lekhi, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri and state BJP chief Ashwani Sharma.
While the Shiromani Akali Dal and Congress have given space to local leaders on party posters ahead of the Punjab assembly elections, the BJP has chosen to highlight its star-studded Central leadership, completely overlooking its local leaders.
The Congress is projecting the Jatt-Hindu-Dalit trio – Navot Singh Sindhu, Sunil Jakhar and chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, and SAD its candidates, while BJP’s posters feature Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, party president JP Nadda, poll campaign in-charge Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, co-incharge for the state Meenakshi Lekhi, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri and state BJP chief Ashwani Sharma.
BJP’s prominent local leaders, including state vice-president Parveen Bansal, district president Pushpinder Singhal and state treasurer Gurdev Sharma Debi, were conspicuous by their absence.
While the majority of the political parties have announced their candidates and have already started canvassing in their respective assembly constituencies, the BJP is yet to announce its list of candidates for the upcoming polls.
When asked about the hoardings, BJP spokesperson Anil Sareen said, “Like always, the Prime Minister is our star campaigner and the elections will be fought under his leadership.”
“This is not to say that the local party leaders are being ignored,” he added. However, those privy to the matter, say the party has refrained from featuring the local leadership on the posters due to factionalism within the local unit of the party.
Besides, with former Akali leader Gurdeep Singh Gosha joining the BJP, the power dynamics have shifted within the party.
