BJP will fight from 3 seats: Shwait Malik

HE ADDED THAT PARTY NATIONAL PRESIDENT AMIT SHAH WILL TAKE A CALL ON THE SEAT-SWAPPING ISSUE

LUDHIANA: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Shwait Malik has said that the party will contest from three Lok Sabha seats, whereas SAD will field candidates from 10 seats.

Malik, who was presiding over the state level executive committee meeting here at Rotary Bhawan on Thursday, said, “It is final that the party will fight on three seats and 10 will go to SAD.”

However, he evaded the query over seat-swapping. “It does not fall in my domain. Our party president Amit Shah will take a call on the issue,” said Malik.

The Rajya Sabha MP confirmed that Shah will address the party rank and file in Amritsar on February 24.

He said Shah will encourage the heads of Shakti Kendras to work hard for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Each Shakti Kendra has been given the responsibility to oversee five polling booths.

However, a BJP leader, requesting anonymity, said, “The party will contest from Amritsar seat. Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali) has decided to field candidate from Amritsar, besides AAP will also contest from the seat, which will cause a dent on the vote share of SAD (Badal). This will be a favourable scenario for Congress. In such a situation, it is just apt for the BJP to contest from Amritsar.”

The meeting was also attended by in-charge of Punjab BJP Prabhat Jha, Union minister Vijay Sampla and BJP district president Jatinder Mittal.

Others present were ex-punjab BJP chief Kamal Sharma, former ministers Manoranjan Kalia, Baldev Chawla, Madan Mohan Mittal and others.