BJP’s Punjab unit to hold state executive meeting in Sangrur

Punjab BJP to discuss poor performance in recent Jalandhar bypoll at state executive meeting in Sangrur, also likely to discuss alliance with Shiromani Akali Dal.

The meeting of new state executive of Punjab BJP will be conducted in Sangrur on Sunday (May 21), during which the party is likely to discuss its performance in the recently concluded Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll, in which the BJP stood fourth with security of the party also forfeited.

The party is likely to discuss its performance in the recently concluded Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll, in which the BJP stood fourth with security of the party also forfeited (REUTERS File Photo)

Entire senior leadership of the party will attend the meeting to be chaired by the state BJP chief, Ashwani Sharma and state organisation secretary, Mantri Sirinivasulu.

According to a senior BJP leader, party’s debacle in the bypoll will be the main discussion in the meeting as there is strong feeling in the state unit, that a strong candidate for the bypolls would have made the party prospects better.

Notably, the BJP had chosen former Akali leader Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal ‘ Rinku’ as party candidate for the Lok Sabha bypoll, who could get only 134,800 votes.

Senior leaders of the party claimed that BJP state unit meeting is also likely discuss the issue of rumours of possibilities of re-alliance with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and is likely to chalk out a strategy as to how the party leaders can publicly project the alliance.

Whereas a large section of the party is in favour of the alliance with the SAD, many others are of the opinion that party should strength its own base in Punjab, keeping in view the shrinking base of Akalis in its strongholds. State BJP chief, Ashwani Sharma was not available for comments, despite repeated attempts to contact him.