Vijay Sampla may throw his hat in the ring from Hoshiarpur

Aparna Banerji

Jalandhar, April 17

With the BJP fielding MoS Som Parkash’s wife Anita Som Parkash from the Hoshiarpur parliamentary constituency, speculation is rife that disgruntled saffron party leader Vijay Sampla may also throw his hat in the ring.

Since yesterday, Sampla has posted several cryptic posts and removed the words “Modi Ka Parivar” from his social media handles on X and Facebook.

‘Mere rumours’

All reports of joining another party or contesting as an Independent are false. I am in Delhi to stay away from this discourse. Vijay Sampla, Senior BJP leader

Though Sampla denied that he would contest the poll, his associates said the senior leader would fight from Hoshiarpur “at all costs” and was in talks with various parties.

The feud, which is out in the open, may adversely affect the prospects of the BJP in Hoshiarpur — considered as one of the strongholds of the saffron party in the state.

Sampla had won this constituency in 2014 and Som Parkash in 2019.

Sources said, “Sampla will not leave the claim over Hoshiarpur. He is in talks with various parties. He may contest as an Indepndent as well. The electorate is unhappy over Sampla being sidelined. Isn’t Anita a dynast?”

Amid speculation, Sampla headed to Delhi today. He said, “All reports of joining another party or contesting as an Independent are false. I am in Delhi to stay away from this discourse.”

MoS Som Parkash said, “Vijay Sampla is a respected BJP leader. Such situations have risen before and he has always stood with the BJP. I am certain he will continue to do so even now.”

In 2019, when Som Parkash was fielded from Hoshiaprur, Sampla took to Twitter and termed it as “cow slaughter”.