Connection of Punjab politics with national politics 

As all the eyes are now on the coming assembly elections to be held in 2023 in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram. The results of these assembly polls will clearly predict the pulse of the voters for the parliament elections 2024 and reflect the masses decision towards 2024 parliament elections. NDA (National Democratic Alliance) is still keeping its strategy of alliance open so that to win maximum number of seats. Even though Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now an international figure and the foreign leaders give due respect to him throughout the world and India under his stewardship has shown a new revolutionary era of infrastructure developments. Modi’s `Mann Ki Baat’ on Radio has drawn the attention of all the Indians in which he highlights the theory of development and to adopt all the techniques to earn their livelihood. Recently, the Government of India has increased the MSP (Minimum Support Price) of pulses, paddy to help the farmers to generate more earning for their livelihood through agriculture sector, pensions to the farmers and diversification of crops have paved way towards another green revolution in the country. Even though the Western Countries are facing inflation in essential commodities, but in India the prices of the agriculture produce have not registered inflation in contrast to Western Countries. Punjab have been an agriculture state and Punjab has the honour of producing maximum yield of crops and feeding the whole of the country in produce of wheat since post-Independence, it was all due to the network of the canals and with the canal water the land has become very fertile paving way towards two to three crops in a year and above all day and night efforts of Indian farmers.
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There is a feel that Bharatiya Janata Party senior leaders who have been either ignored or sidelined in the party in Punjab needs to be reviewed by a new formed high level BJP committee by the national leadership and go in for facts in detail the past history of Punjab and go through the reasons of sidelining them by holding series of meetings. Hard core party workers are the real assets of a political party. It is necessary that the political in-charge of Punjab BJP should know in detail of Punjab, its issues and specially its demographic situation and conditions. Whatever may be the ideology of BJP, national leadership for the coming days for Punjab, the party can keep all the options open to register a handsome victory in the 2024 parliament elections and to form its alliance state government in future in Punjab. BJP has strong chunk of votes in the urban areas but in the rural areas the party could not show its power of strength even though many senior Congress, SAD (B) leaders have joined it. BJP’s own cadre is feeling suffocation in the organisation as the Jalandhar parliamentary by- poll the party had failed to save its security, even though Punjab BJP leaders are leaving no stone unturned in quoting of increase in percentage of votes. 
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Ignoring senior / old cadre-based BJP leaders which are known as assets of the party can cost the party dearer in the coming municipal corporation and municipal committee elections. Old senior leaders have always stood firmly with the organisation even during the days of militancy and many party leaders had sacrificed their lives for the unity and integrity of the country. Ignoring cadre of that time is an issue that has put the current leadership in dilemma over accommodating them or sidelining in coming future. Meanwhile, with a view to further strengthening its mass base, the party leaders are coming to address public rallies in the state. The party’s national president JP Nadda will be addressing a public rally at Hoshiarpur on 14th June and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be addressing public rally in Gurdaspur on 18th June. Both the seats were won by the BJP in 2019 parliament elections. Actor turned politician Sunny Deol had won from Gursdaspur and Som Parkash Retired IAS from Hoshiarpur. Later, Som Parkash was administered the oath of State Union Minister. Earlier in 2014, the Hoshiarpur parliament seat was won by Vijay Sampla who also remained Union State Minister and at present is Chairman National SC Commission with a cabinet rank. BJP senior leader and former state president Avinash Rai Khanna had also won the parliament seat from Hoshiarpur in the past. Actor turned politician former union minister Late Vinod Khanna had represented Gurdaspur seat for three times as Member Parliament.

Authored by: 
Rajat Kumar Mohindru, 
Senior Journalist, 
Jalandhar.