Lok Sabha polls: BJP holds core committee meet for Punjab

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India]: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Punjab chief Sunil Jakhar and state in-charge of Punjab and Chandigarh, Vijay Rupani held the party’s core committee meeting in Chandigarh ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

“BJP’s decision to contest alone on all 13 seats in Punjab and one seat in Chandigarh is being received well. In the meeting today, the names of candidates will also be discussed and finalised,” Vijay Rupani said speaking to reporters on Friday.

Speaking about new entrants to the BJP, Rupani said, “There are positive reports from Punjab. PM Modi is needed for Punjab and the country. Many are joining the BJP, even sitting MPs. This is a good sign.”

Rupani said that while the BJP used to contest in only two-three seats in Punjab, this time it has chosen to contest in all 13 seats in the state.

“Earlier, we used to fight on only 2-3 seats, but this time we are fighting on all 13 seats.

The BJP’s performance will improve,” he said.
BJP’s decision to fight alone in Punjab was triggered after its long-standing ally in the state, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), broke ties with its partner following the farmers’ protest.

Earlier on Tuesday, Sunil Jakhar said that his party has decided to contest the Lok Sabha elections alone in the state. “BJP to contest the Lok Sabha elections alone in Punjab,” he posted on ‘X’ along with the video message.
The BJP also got a major boost when Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu joined the party at the party headquarters in Delhi.

Ravneet Singh Bittu is the grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh and the son of former Punjab minister Tej Parkash Singh. The party was further bolstered when two Aam Aadmi Party leaders Jalandhar MP Sushil Kumar Rinku and Jalandhar West MLA Sheetal Angural joined the BJP.

The BJP won two seats in Punjab during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, its ally SAD got two seats. The Congress won eight seats and the Aam Aadmi Party won one. Punjab has 13 parliamentary constituencies.