New Delhi, Aug 18 (IANS) Newly appointed Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Punjab In-charge and Rajya Sabha MP, Satish Poonia, on Tuesday likened the party’s position in the state to the time when the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had been voted to power in Punjab in 2022, asserting that the BJP is now “emerging as an alternative” for voters there.
He expressed gratitude for the new position within the BJP, saying that “it is a big thing” for a normal party worker to receive such big opportunities to work as the party’s National General Secretary and Punjab In-charge.
Speaking to IANS, Poonia cited the example of Tripura while saying that BJP has broken stereotypes in many places where it originally didn’t didn’t have a political base.
“The party came into power (for the first time) in West Bengal, defeated the AAP to reclaim Delhi after many years, also returned to power in Maharashtra and achieved a good mandate to remain in power in Bihar,” he said.
He claimed that there is an “undercurrent in favour of the BJP” in Punjab and that “anti-incumbency is clearly visible” against the AAP.
“The BJP believes in breaking notions and we will ensure that it happens in Punjab as well. People are fed up of the AAP government and there is turmoil within the Congress. People want peace and brotherhood to prevail in the state and the BJP is fully capable to provide that faith to the people because a double-engine government in Punjab will mean better coordination (with the Centre),” the Rajya Sabha MP added.
Regarding the challenges ahead of the forthcoming Punjab polls, Poonia said: “Contesting against the party in power (AAP) is itself a challenge. Secondly, since Congress has been an established party there, fighting against its system (is also a challenge).”
While acknowleging that the AAP came to power because people were looking for an alternative in Punjab, the Rajya Sabha MP said: “Today, BJP is emerging as an alternative for voters there.”
“This is because the people in Punjab have seen the party’s work in the neighbouring states of Rajasthan, Haryana and also in other parts of the country,” Poonia said while asserting that the BJP’s aim will be to reinstate brotherhood and a proper law-and-order system in the state.
Further targeting the AAP government in Punjab, the BJP leader said: “They (AAP) were unmasked in Delhi for making fake promises (to voters), in Punjab the same thing happened quite early. The trust of Punjab’s people (on AAP government) has been broken. That is why I don’t think people would be willing to vote for them again.”
Meanwhile, Punjab BJP Vice-President Fatehjung Singh Bajwa hailed the party’s new leadership in the state while exhibiting confidence that Punjab will have a major role in the new team of party Chief Nitin Nabin.
“Satish Poonia ji is a seasoned senior leader who understands the state well. I think his appointment is a very good decision as he has a good political understanding and experience,” he told IANS.
–IANS
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