‘BJP’s growing base a cause of concern’

Wednesday, 19/11/2014

http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=119096&boxid=58925&uid=&dat=2014-11-19

Jalandhar : Concerned over the mass membership drive of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Partap Singh Bajwa on Tuesday directed the party rank-and-file to strengthen its base and connect with masses up to booth level in Punjab.

Bajwa, who was on a two-day tour of Jalandhar said that the congress should remain wary of the growing mass base of BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS).

Addressing the booth-level party workers meet on Tuesday, Bajwa said that congress was the grand old party of the country but the growth of BJP was a cause of concern. “BJP was fast reaching out to the people and it was time for the congress workers to mobilise its base,” he added.

The PPCC chief further said that congress should remain alarmed of the BJP and the RSS growing its base in the state. “Lately, Congress has become laid-back. But, now it was time for the party leaders to gear up and end groupism, as congress would be forming the next government in state. Congress has already faced the consequence of groupism in the past,” he said.

Earlier talking to the media, Bajwa said that if Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was serious, then he should lead an all party meeting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring back Chandigarh as Punjab’s capital. “Congress under the Rajiv-Longowal pact had been demanding Chandigarh as the Punjab’s capital,” he said.

Further blaming PM Modi of double standards, Bajwa said that despite promise, Sikhs in Gujarat had lost their farm lands while no action was taken against the drugs mafia running in Punjab. “What was stopping PM Modi from taking action against the drugs flow in Punjab? We would approach Supreme Court for a CBI probe in drugs mafia. The BJP should make its stand clear on this issue,” he added.

On the current issue of three-time BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu speaking against the alliance SAD leadership and both SAD and BJP leaders blaming its ministers for running mafias, Bajwa said, “Either CM Badal should tender an apology or hold an inquiry into these allegations. At present, both SAD and BJP had been fighting over their share in profits, which was earlier 70 per cent with SAD and 30 per cent with BJP. Now, the BJP was demanding 50-50 per cent share at par with SAD, which was leading to differences.”

To a query that senior Congress leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal’s niece Rosy Bhattal had joined BJP, Bajwa said that CM Badal’s nephew Manpreet Badal had contested Lok Sabha elections on Congress symbol. “Sade Godaam vicho ‘Samaan’ (material) ta changa khado,” he said, stating that BJP had taken used and worn-out people from Congress.

Responding to another query that he was being projected as the next CM of Punjab, Bajwa said, “Everyone wants to rise and become CM someday. I will be hypocritical, if I deny this fact. Even a sarpanch would aspire to become CM, then why not me?”