Apparently unhappy over BJP high command’s decision of allotting ticket to party MlA Som Parkash, Punjab unit chief and Union Minister Vijay Sampla on Tuesday categorically refuted reports of his resignation as “rumours”.
“The reports regarding me (offering to quit as Punjab BJP chief) are false and nothing else, these are all rumours. I had gone for some work,” Sampla said while making it clear that he had never offered his resignation nor “threatened” to do so.
Sampla has been opposing sitting MlA Som Parkash’s candidature from Phagwara owing to his differences with the senior party leader, while pushing for fielding a young face.
Sources said Sampla was also not in favour of giving ticket to the son of state Cabinet Minister Chunni lal Bhagat, Mahender Bhagat.
The BJP, a day before, announced six names for Punjab Assembly polls, scheduled for February 4.
Upset, Sampla met BJP national president Amit Shah on Tuesday. Reportedly, he expressed his dissatisfaction over selection of candidates by the party’s central selection committee.
With just a day left for filing of nominations, Shah has told Sampla that the party high command has asked him to concentrate fully and campaign hard for the elections.
Sources also informed The Pioneer that the party chief has also made it clear to Sampla that the BJP would not accept public show of dissatisfaction or dissonance.
“I met the president on a different issue. We are very active in our mission...Neither I nor our president is unhappy,” Sampla said after the meeting, adding that the selection of candidates was a collective decision and “involves everybody’s will”.
He said that the party’s list of candidates for Punjab had his full support.
As per seat sharing arrangement between decades-old alliance partners, BJP contests 23 of Punjab’s 117 seats, while the Akali Dal field its candidates on 94.
Hours after the declaration of candidates on Monday evening, the rumour mill at work continued to churn talks about Sampla’s resignation.