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Punjab BJP unit revamped, most ex-Congress leaders among office-bearers
Capt Amarinder’s daughter Jai Inder Kaur, former Congress MLAs Kewal Singh Dhillon, Raj Kumar Verka, Fateh Jung Bajwa and Arvind Khanna among the 11 vice-presidents in the state unit
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday announced new office-bearers for its Punjab unit. While retaining its state president Ashwani Sharma, the party adjusted almost all former Congress leaders who joined the party this year.
Also read: Punjab ex-Cong leaders Capt Amarinder Singh, Sunil Jakhar in BJP national executive
Among the 11 vice-presidents declared by the party, six are leaders who quit the Congress recently, including former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s daughter Jai Inder Kaur. Former Congress minister Raj Kumar Verka, former MLAs Kewal
Singh Dhillon, Fateh Jung Bajwa and Arvind Khanna have been adjusted as vice-presidents along with Dr Subhash Sharma, Rakesh Rathore, Dyal Singh Sodhi, Lakhwinder Kaur Garcha and Dr Jagmohan Raju and Jagdeep Nakai.
The appointments come a day after the BJP has appointed former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and former Punjab Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Sunil Jakhar as members of the national executive. Both leaders had joined the BJP earlier this year. While Capt Amarinder had merged his party, the Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) into the BJP, in August, Jakhar had joined the BJP in May.
Ex-Cong leader Gurpreet Kangar appointed general secy
Among general secretaries, the post considered most powerful after the president, the BJP has given preference to its home-grown leaders such as Rajesh Bagha, Jiwan Gupta, Bikramjeet Singh Cheema and Mona Jaiswal. Former Congress minister Gurpreet Singh Kangar is the only former Congress leader to be adjusted as general secretary.
Tohra’s grandson is Punjab BJP youth wing chief
The biggest surprise in the list is former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Gurucharan Singh Tohra’s grandson, Kanwarveer Singh Tohra, who has been appointed president of the BJP’s youth wing in Punjab. Kanwarveer Singh Tohra had contested this year’s Punjab assembly elections from Amloh but managed to get only 5,000 votes. He had joined the BJP a few days before the elections.
11 state secretaries appointed
The party has appointed 11 state secretaries, including Anil Sachar, Rajesh Honey, Dr Harjot Kamal, Parminder Singh Brar, Sunita Garg, Jasmeen Sandhawalia, Jasraj Singh Longia, Shivraj Chaudhary, Sukhwinder Kaur Naulakha, Sanjeev Khanna and Daaman Thind Bajwa.
Hoshiarpur BJP leader Meenu Sethi has been appointed president of the Mahila Morcha, while former IAS officer SR Ladhar has been appointed president of the Scheduled Caste wing of the party.
The party has appointed Nimisha Mehta, Anil Sareen, Col Jaibans Singh (retd), Ashok Bharti, SS Channi, Iqbal Singh Channi, Gurdeep Singh Gosha, Anish Sidana, Kanwar Narender Singh, Mahender Bhagat, Jatinder Atwal and Chetan Joshi as its spokespersons.
Janardan Sharma, Sunil Singla, Surinder Kaur and Hardev Singh Ubha are members of the state media team.
Striking a balance between old and new
The BJP state unit was under pressure to strike a balance by adjusting leaders who quit the Congress recently and give equal preference to homegrown leaders.
The BJP’s new state team now has 60 office-bearers. The party is likely to declare the state executive members in a few days.
The new team will be seen taking on the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab on various issues. It is looking to expand its base in the border state of Punjab after its traditional ally, the Shiromani Akal Dal (SAD), had parted ways on the three farm laws issue.
Among other important appointments by the BJP on Friday were that of former Congress minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, former BJP minister Manoranjan Kalia and Amarjot Kaur Ramoowalia as special invitees to the national executive. Amarjot Kaur is the daughter of former Union minister Balwant Singh Ramoowalia.
Former media panelist of the Congress, Jaiveer Shergill, was appointed BJP national spokesman.
