Top leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday will take a call on the future course of action for the party in Punjab, where Assembly elections are scheduled in early 2017.
In the core committee meeting called by BJP chief Amit Shah, some major decisions are expected as the party has started shaping its plans for the elections next year. Besides deciding on the State BJP chief, it is also likely that the top brass of BJP may have a re-look at its ties with Shiromani Akali Dal.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is also expected to be present in the meeting. Shah has called all the Cabinet Ministers of Punjab for the core group meeting to put their heads on the strategy of the party for the next Assembly elections.
Party insiders say that the leadership would explore two options — one of going into the Assembly elections with its old alliance partner Shiromani Akali Dal and the other is to go solo on the lines of Haryana.
Sources in the party say that splitting ways with SAD could be a smart move for the party to counter anti-incumbency. The dominance of BJP in Centre is also being considered a factor to boost party’s chances in the State. Though the party has been forced to check its strategic moves after the humiliating defeat in Bihar, yet in this region, its success in Haryana is being taken into account.
Given the quick rise of AAP in the State, the move may divide the votes further as the triangular contest will turn into a quadrilateral, in case BJP calls of its ties with SAD.
Party sources indicated that the decision on alliance will play a crucial role in the selection of next State BJP chief. Sources said that if BJP decides to go alone in the elections, then the post of party president could be given to a Sikh leader. Otherwise present president Kamal Sharma and former president Ashwani Sharma are the main contenders for heading the party in next Assembly elections.