Although Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar had recently expressed willingness to revive ties with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), not all within the state unit seem to be on the same page as newly appointed working president Ashwani Sharma has asserted that the party will go it alone in the 2027 Assembly elections.
“BJP has been consistently contesting elections independently. We fought the 2022 Assembly polls and the recent Lok Sabha elections on our own. The same will happen in 2027,” said Sharma while addressing media persons at Bathinda on Wednesday.
He reiterated his point while addressing party workers at Guru Nanak Bhawan in Ludhiana on Thursday evening. “If we look at various schemes like the public distribution system, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and grants for building toilets, all of them are being run by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government. So, why not have Modi’s leadership in the state as well?” he asked.
Asserting that “in 2027, the ruling AAP will collapse like a pack of cards”, Sharma alleged that a conspiracy is currently underway against the BJP in Punjab, yet the people remain aware of who is truly working for their welfare.
The working president cautioned that certain political parties are attempting to disturb communal harmony in Punjab. “Even militancy couldn’t shake the communal fabric of the state. But in the present scenario, what Punjab needs is a BJP government — one that can bring development, ensure harmony, and frame policies for the betterment of the people,” he said.
Reflecting on the BJP’s past alliance with the SAD, which began in 1996 and lasted until September 2020, Sharma said: “At that time, we played the role of the younger brother in the alliance because it was necessary. It was, in fact, more of a social alliance than a political one, as Punjab was emerging from the shadow of militancy.” He acknowledged that while the BJP paid a heavy political price for that alliance, the context has now changed. “Punjab has moved on, and the people now want the BJP because they believe in it and support it.”
He added, “The people of Punjab are tired of the current AAP government. They want change and BJP is the only viable alternative.”
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Sharma was formally announced as working president on July 7. Since assuming charge, he has visited his hometown Pathankot, Amritsar, Bathinda, Muktsar and Ludhiana, and is expected to cover more regions in the coming days. A two-time state BJP president and current MLA from Pathankot, he has also served as the party’s state general secretary.
