Ploughed out of the municipal areas in Punjab by the ruling Congress, the saffron party has apparently taken comfort in the defeat of other political parties opposing the Centre’s farm legislations. Defeated but not cowed down, the Bharatiya Janata Party claimed that it would go solo in the 2022 assembly polls and emerge victorious.
“The fact that we were able to put up 1,052 candidates for the civic body elections shows that we can contest alone in 2022,” declared Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma.
Sharma, mincing no words while lashing out at the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and the ruling Congress party over misuse of government machinery to win municipal elections, said BJP is gearing up for the 2022 Assembly elections.
“BJP is all prepared for 2022 elections. At that time, this Punjab election commission would not be there. This administration will not be a mute spectator. The Election Commission of India would hold these elections…There would be no goondagardi,” said Sharma.
Categorically blaming the misuse of official machinery by the Congress for poll results, Sharma said: “The Congress’ win in these local bodies’ polls is due to dandacracy and not democracy…The democracy has been defeated and ashamed even though the Chief Minister is patting his back.”
Taking a dig at the Congress’ win, Sharma said: “If the Congress wants to thank anyone, it should thank the state DGP who helped them in winning this election, the administration, the State Election Commission as they all played an important role to make Congress candidates win.”
He said that the Congress won the elections through “undemocratic means”. “The people of Punjab have seen everything closely and will give befitting reply when the right opportunity comes,” he added.
Sharma highlighted how anti-BJP wave was created across the state and its workers and leaders were not allowed to hold meetings peacefully, being attacked wherever they go, have dharnas outside their residences, could not even campaign or put up posters of the candidates. “If Congress still feels that they have won these elections, then many congratulations to them,” he quipped.
“In fact, I salute the BJP’s candidates who stood with the ‘lotus’ and contested in such a negative environment not against the opponents, but also against the government, administrations and goondaism,” said Sharma adding that this shows that the BJP is all prepared for the forthcoming elections in any circumstances.
At the same time, Sharma ruled out any impact of the Centre’s agricultural acts on the outcome of the recently-concluded elections in the state. “The parties which were supporting the farmers’ agitation and opposing the farm laws also faced defeat,” said Sharma in direct reference to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Another BJP leader, who did not wish to be named, told The Pioneer that even though the party had lost badly, even in areas known to be its stronghold, “the party’s core voter base is still intact”.
Finishing close to complete wipe-out in the state, BJP faced defeats even in its bastions of Pathankot — the home turf of state unit chief Ashwani Sharma; and Hoshiarpur — the home constituency of Union Minister Som Parkash. In Pathankot, BJP could win only 11 of 50 seats, while in Hoshiarpur, the saffron party won just three of 50 seats.
“The party core committee will now meet soon to analyze and examine the poll outcome. It would chalk out the strategy or the way ahead for the 2022 polls as less than a year has been left,” said the BJP leader.