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A good performance by the party in Jalandhar could give it the much-needed boost in Punjab ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha elections. (Twitter/@BJP4Punjab)
Though her demands, such as shifting of prisoners housed in Assam’s Dibrugarh Jail to Punjab, may be tricky for the party to handle, BJP sources say Bibi Jagir Kaur sharing the stage with top leadership and extending support could be the right optics ahead of the May 10 voting
The Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll on May 10 has largely seemed to be a direct fight between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, but the BJP has generated some buzz in its campaign, getting on board some prominent political and religious leaders.
The BJP, which is contesting the bypoll solo following the breakdown of its alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal in 2020, is hoping to make inroads into the constituency and has pulled in star campaigners, including several Union ministers, for the campaign. Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur hit the campaign trail in Jalandhar on Saturday.
The party got a shot in the arm when former Akali Dal leader and three-time SGPC president Jagir Kaur extended her support ahead of the bypoll. Attending a party event on Friday, the Panthic leader presented a list of demands, stating that she saw the possibility of addressing these simmering Sikhs issues under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Though her demands, such as the release of ‘Bandi Singhs’, shifting of prisoners kept in the Dibrugarh Jail to Punjab, may be tricky for the party to handle, BJP sources said Bibi Jagir Kaur sharing the stage with top party leadership and extending support could be the right optics ahead of the May 10 voting.
The party’s Punjab in-charge and former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani had met Bibi Jagir Kaur a week ago during which she had reportedly raised these pre-conditions for extending support to the saffron party in Punjab.
“The former dispensations have rubbed salt on Sikhs’ wounds. The honourable Prime Minister can do big things. He can open the Kartarpur Corridor, he has taken the historic step of naming Veer Bal Diwas to commemorate the sacrifice of the Chote Sahibzade, he can get 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases and FIRs opened and get the likes of Sajjan Kumar punished. We can hope he will also punish the remaining, those who have destroyed the Sikhs,” said Kaur at the event.
The party has also managed to get on board former Assembly speaker and former Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal who resigned from the Akali Dal. He joined the BJP after his son Inder Iqbal Atwal joined the party and was announced candidate for the Jalandhar bypoll.
Deputy Speaker of the 14th Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2009, Atwal also served as the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly twice. Having represented the Phillaur constituency, Charanjit was considered close to Badal.
The BJP has marshalled all its resources, including top central leaders like Hardeep Puri, who are practically camping in the constituency to supervise the campaign.
A good performance by the party in Jalandhar could give it the much-needed boost in Punjab ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha elections.
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