BJP Says Will Contest All Seats In Punjab Assembly Polls, AAP Scoffs

"Punjab is fully ready for change, and the BJP is fully prepared to make it a reality. In the upcoming assembly elections, the BJP will contest all 117 assembly seats in Punjab and, after securing victory, will form its government in the state," said BJP national general secretary (Organisation) BL Santosh. 

He was addressing the first zonal meeting held in Patiala on the first day of his two-day organisational visit to Punjab.

Earlier this morning, BL Santosh was welcomed at Mohali airport by state BJP chief Sardar Kewal Singh Dhillon and Punjab co-incharge Sardar Narendra Singh Raina.

During his visit, Santosh will review the organisation's activities and preparations for the upcoming assembly elections through zonal meetings, with BJP leaders and organisational office-bearers across different regions of Punjab. 

These meetings will focus particularly on strengthening the organisation up to the booth level and taking the party's policies and the achievements of the Central Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to the people of Punjab.

Today, Santosh chaired the organisational meetings in Patiala and Bathinda. On August 25, zonal meetings will be held in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar. A separate meeting with the state general secretaries will also be held in Amritsar.

The objective of these meetings is to review the functioning of the organisation across different regions of Punjab and strengthen organisational preparedness, coordination and the active participation of party workers at the grassroots level.

"Whether the BJP contests alone or in alliance with anyone, it will not be able to succeed in Punjab, said state Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema. 

"Before March 2022, our National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann gave five guarantees, and we have fulfilled all five guarantees within four years. Therefore, no political party can compete with the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab. It is a direct contest, and we will improve upon the performance we achieved in 2022," he added.

Cheema targeted the Akali Dal also, saying it is a party under which incidents involving the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib and other religious scriptures took place. "The entry and spread of drugs in Punjab happened during the Akali Dal-BJP government. The people of Punjab have not forgotten this. When the results come, they will be reduced to zero," he said.

The BJP has contended that AAP has failed to fulfil its promise of "education revolution" and the "Health Revolution" has been a complete failure. 

"Not a single new hospital was opened. The law and order situation is bad and mafia is ruling in Punjab. Punjab has been marginalised and its debt is increasing every day," the BJP said.