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Lok Sabha election 2019: BJP not to field Poonam Dhillon from Amritsar
The BJP high command decided not to consider Poonam Dhillon for Amritsar citing adverse and independent feedbacks from local Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and the party’s fresh survey.
The BJP has dropped the idea of fielding Bollywood actor Poonam Dhillon from Amritsar despite strong recommendation by the state core committee to the party’s Central Election Committee (CEC).
According to a top BJP functionary, Dhillon’s name was discussed in the Central Election Committee (CEC) of the party on March 21. The party high command later decided not to consider her for Amritsar citing few “adverse and independent” feedbacks from local Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and fresh survey conducted by the party.
“She is out of the race now and her name is not being considered for Amritsar,” a senior BJP leader said.
Dhillon is presently vice-president of the Maharasthra unit of the BJP. The core-committee of Punjab unit had included her name among candidates for Punjab which was sent to the CEC on March 19.
“It is highly likely that high-command deliberately floated her name to test the water and as her projection did not get the desired enthusiasm from rank and file of the BJP in Amritsar, it was decided not to consider her,” the BJP functionary said.
HT tried to reach out to Dhillon but she could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
Amritsar is a prestigious seat which Captain Amarinder Singh of the Congress won in 2014 defeating Union finance minister Arun Jaitley. Another Congressman, Gurjeet Singh Aujla retained the seat for the party in the bypoll in 2017 after Amarinder Singh quit to take charge as Punjab chief minister.
In Dhillon’s absence, the party, it is learnt is in touch with Bollywood actor Sunny Deol but he is yet to accept BJP’s offer to contest either from Amritsar or from Gurdaspur. Following Dhillon’s rejection by the high command, BJP leaders are not ruling out the possibility of Union urban development minister Hardip Puri’s chances from the seat..
Crisis in Gurdaspur as well
In Gurdaspur as well, even as late Union Minister and four-time Gurdaspur MP Vinod Khanna’s, Kavita Khanna has emerged as the frontrunner for the seat but the party is in dilemma about fielding her.
BJP functionaries also said the party was in touch with Vinod’s son and Bollywood actor Akshay Khanna but things do not seem to be working out.
In Hoshiarpur, Phagwara MLA Som Parkash has emerged as the strongest replacement for local MP and Union minister Vijay Sampla. The party was expected to take a final call on the seat on Monday but at last minute it decided to hold the announcement for few more days, it is learnt.
State BJP chief Shwait Malik’s could not be contacted as her cell remained switched off throughout the evening.
