Chandigarh: Even though the BJP performed better in the general elections in Punjab but better is not enough, state party chief Sunil Jakhar said here on Saturday after holding a meeting to review the party performance in the recent Lok Sabha polls.
Jakhar, however, did not mince words in expressing concern over the BJP’s defeat in its traditional seats of Gurdaspur, Amritsar and Hoshiarpur, saying the results in these seats were not according to the expectations and that the party would find out where the shortcomings were.
For record, the saffron party could not win any of the 13 Lok Sabha seats in this general election in Punjab. Its vote share, however, doubled to 18.56% in 2024 polls as compared to 9.63% in 2019. While Congress won seven seats, the ruling AAP could win only three and two seats were won by radical Sikh independent candidates. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) could win only one seat this election.
Addressing newspersons, Jakhar, who was flanked by Union minister of state for railways and food processing industries Ravneet Bittu, held that the party’s target was to make BJP successful in Punjab. "Though we did not get success, the people gave immense response to BJP’’, he said.
"We have identified mandals (constituencies) in which we have performed exceedingly well and the party will honour our Mandal and booth Pradhans,’’ Jakhar said.
Underlining that people's trust in BJP in Punjab had lent greater responsibility to the party, Jakhar said BJP though at present has two MLAs in state assembly would play the role of true opposition to expose the illegal nexus between AAP and Congress.
"Senior Congress leaders despite winning as MPs still have a sword of vigilance hanging over them and I doubt they can see the chief minister in the eye and raise issues of Punjab in true earnest’’, Jakhar added.
