Does BJP have a big agenda in mind for Punjab?
By Amrit Pal Brar
Bathinda, 21 July 2019: Will Sukhbir Singh Badal President of SAD resign from the Ferozepur Lok Sabha seat ? This question is being hotly debated in the high political circles and political observers.
According to grapevine Sukhbir Singh Badal may resign from his Ferozepur Lok Sabha seat and contest from Jalalabad assembly constituency by -election, which got vacant due to his win to Lok Sabha in the recently concluded general elections of parliament.
The by-election is expected to be announced along with Haryana assembly elections within next few months.
Sukhbir Singh Badal has been member from Jalalabad constituency from 2009. He has won this seat twice and remained Deputy Chief Minister till 2017.
Political observers feel that the idea behind this move is to remain in the state politics and handle the party affairs as being a member of parliament; it is difficult to spare more time for party affairs which needs lot of efforts for its revival in the state.
The SAD had won only two seats out of ten it contested; whereas BJP won two out of three they contested. After the grand victory in parliamentary elections and big come back of Narindra Modi government at the centre the BJP has gained popularity in the state. Feeling stimulated by this development the state leadership of BJP is spreading its wings, it had launched a membership drive in the state and large numbers of people, even bureaucrats are joining the BJP.
Vacuum in the SAD leadership at this juncture will prove detrimental to SAD, which is already facing isolation among the Sikh masses due to sacrilege issue. There are reports that state BJP leaders are also in touch with the unhappy and annoyed leaders of SAD. As per observers, the BJP has brought Punjab on its priority agenda by appointing two ministers in the central government, Som Prakash and Hardeep Singh Puri. It is a clear indication that BJP had a big agenda in mind for Punjab.
According to grapevine, such developments are the reason of worries of SAD leadership. The outcome of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha elections will certainly have wider ramifications on the politics of Punjab.
Only Sukhbir Singh Badal can answer to this question.
(Author contact amritbrar2012@gmail.com 9814313405)
