With the Prime Minister Narendra Modi campaigning for them, the saffron party on Sunday issued a warning to its dissidents to either fall in line or face disciplinary action.
In a word of caution with just six days left for high-octane Punjab polls,
BJP’s state affairs in-charge Prabhat Jha made it clear that indiscipline will not be tolerated in the party.
“Those who think that they can create nuisance and get away with it are highly mistaken. Ours is a disciplined party,” he said, adding, “Anyone indulging in indiscipline will not remain in the party”.
Jha’s warning came after his attention was drawn towards power struggle within the party as one faction was continuously keeping away from the campaign and election rallies of SAD-BJP combine’s candidate from Phagwara Som Parkash.
“I am keeping a vigilant eye on them,” said Jha after addressing a rally in favour of Som Parkash in Phagwara.
Earlier, while addressing the rally, Jha pointed to the sullen elements saying that those who could betray their mother (party), could also betray their country.
A faction of BJP workers, supported by the state BJP chief and Union Minister Vijay Sampla, were keeping away from Som Parkash’s poll activities, including election rallies addressed by the Union Minister and party’s election in-charge Narendra Singh Tomar, Prabhat Jha and others.
Sampla, who was strongly opposing allocation of party ticket to Som Parkash, had himself addressed two rallies for his bête noire but his group had kept away from them.
Calling upon electorates to vote for SAD-BJP to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and enthrone Parkash Singh Badal as Chief Minister for sixth time, Jha said that salvation of Punjab lay in central and state governments being on same page.
Jha, a Rajya Sabha MP, said that re-electing the SAD-BJP government was also necessary for checking smuggling on the border.
He also attacked Congress terming it as ‘maa-beta’ party, and Samajwadi Party as a feuding ‘pita-puttar’ party.
He accused AAP of doublespeak.