Sunil Jakhar. (file photo)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Punjab unit president Sunil Jakhar, who has been away from party activities for almost two months, said on Thursday that he had requested the party leadership to relieve him of the post after the poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections. There were reports that Sunil Jakhar had resigned from his position as BJP state president, following which he could not be contacted.
Sunil Jakhar said he met BJP president JP Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Lok Sabha election results and told them: “You should be relieved of this responsibility because my morality does not allow me to continue in this position. It doesn’t work. He said that even though BJP’s vote share increased from six per cent to 18 per cent, the party could not win any of the 13 parliamentary seats in Punjab.
Become Punjab BJP President in 2023
Former Congress leader Sunil Jakhar became president of the BJP’s Punjab unit in July 2023. Jakhar said he also drew the attention of BJP leaders to many issues related to the state. His absence from the Punjab political scene has raised many questions about his role in the party. Despite being one of the party’s star activists, he is not campaigning for the by-elections to four assembly constituencies in Punjab due on November 20.
Demand for PM Modi’s intervention
Sunil Jakhar was last seen welcoming Prime Minister Modi at the Chandigarh airport on October 18. He also welcomed the Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the local hotel. Meanwhile, Jakhar sought Prime Minister Modi’s intervention regarding the Centre’s alleged decision to allocate 10 acres of land in Chandigarh to Haryana for construction of an assembly building.
Offer to donate 12 acres of land in Panchkula
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has reportedly given environmental clearance to the land given by the Haryana government to the Chandigarh administration in exchange for land for the additional assembly building. The Haryana government offered 12 acres of land in Panchkula to the Chandigarh administration in exchange for 10 acres of land near IT Park Road in Chandigarh. Jakhar said he opposes this move and urges the Prime Minister to intervene and cancel the allocation.
joint capital of punjab and haryana
He said that Chandigarh is not only the capital of Punjab but also the heart of Punjab. If there is talk of giving up land from Chandigarh to Haryana to set up an assembly, it hurts the people of Punjab. Currently, Punjab and Haryana share the assembly complex next to the Punjab and Haryana Secretariat in the Union Territory of Chandigarh. Chandigarh is the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.
