Divide among Patiala BJP leaders to fore

Ravneet Singh

Patiala, January 23

Even the Parakram Diwas (celebrated on the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on January 23) failed to bring local leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) together on a single platform here today. In the wake of disagreement over appointment of party posts, the leaders organised separate programmes to mark the occasion.

The rift among the party workers had erupted a week ago after allocation of office-bearer posts in the party’s local team. The party’s old-time leaders claimed they were not given appropriate representation in the party leadership and raised an objection. The party’s state leadership held separate meetings with the members to resolve the issue.

While the newly inducted leaders and district president KK Malhotra said there was no discord and that the party was functioning smoothly, the old-time leaders have been raising objections to the president.

Varun Jindal, one of the workers that has been associated with the party since years, said, “We object to the district president. He should be changed. Workers who have been associated with the party for long have not been given proper representation in the party. Today, we celebrated the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose separately at the Bundela temple at the Sirhindi gate.” He said over 50 leaders joined the celebration.

The newly inducted BJP leaders organised another event in remembrance of Netaji at the new party office at the Sheran Wala gate.

KK Malhotra said over 150 individuals joined the event. “I was in Amritsar to attend the party convention. Meanwhile, the party leadership in the district organised an event remembering Netaji at the Sheran Wala Gate,” he said.

Asked about the discord among the workers, he said, “I am unaware of who all are involved in the conflict. We are doing our work as per posts allocated to us. We are working as per party and RSS philosophy. The party and district leadership are together.”

While talking to The Tribune, senior party leader and former Nabha Improvement Trust Chairman Gurtej Singh Dhillon said party leaders in the district should honour feelings of all party workers. “I doubt whether the district team has been formed with state senior party leadership’s consent. But as per party philosophy, all party workers have equal rights and they should be honoured,” he said.