BJP’s principal strategist and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday led the first strategy meeting to discuss the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections with top central and state brass in attendance.
The Tribune has learnt that before proceeding to the BJP headquarters to meet Punjab leaders on the issue, Shah held a half-hour discussion with state Governor Ghulab Chand Kataria. The two met at Shah’s Kartavya Bhavan office, after which the minister proceeded for the BJP Punjab core group meeting.
Before calling in the Punjab leaders, Shah, BJP president Nitin Nabin and party general secretary organisational BL Santosh held a preliminary discussion on broad discussion points.
After this a larger meeting took place. It ended at 10.30 pm, followed by dinner.
Sources have told The Tribune that Shah elicited inputs from all participants on how to “Save Punjab”.
“Discussions took place on how to save Punjab’s jawaani, kisaani and spirit,” former BJP Punjab president Sunil Jakhar said about the meeting.
The sources added that political strategy was debated threadbare ahead of Nabin’s maiden visit to the state from June 20 to 22.
Nabin will mark Yoga Day (June 21) in Amritsar. He will also chair the largest-ever BJP workers’ meet held in Punjab so far. “A meeting of close to 7,000 BJP booth managers in the state is being planned in Ludhiana when the national president arrives,” said a party source.
Sources said there was a broad agreement that the BJP would contest elections on the issues of the ruling AAP’s “misrule”, law and order situation, drug menace, and poor economic health.
Today’s meeting was attended by state BJP president Kewal Dhillon; former state chiefs Sunil Jakhar, Avinash Rai Khanna and Shwait Malik; Union minister Ravneet Bittu; former state minister Manoranjan Kalia; Ashwani Sharma; BJP national general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh; parliamentary board member Iqbal Singh Lalpura; former state minister Manpreet Badal; Fateh Singh Bajwa; state BJP general secretary Parminder Brar; and Punjab women’s wing president Jai Inder Kaur.
From the organisational side, senior RSS functionaries — Saudan Singh who handles northern states; Mantri Srinivasulu, BJP general secretary organisation for Punjab; and Narinder Raina — were present. None of the recently inducted former AAP members were invited.
