BJP’s yatra against drugs from 2nd week of March in Punjab - Hindustan Times
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BJP’s yatra against drugs from 2nd week of March in Punjab

Feb 06, 2023 11:13 PM IST

In a bid to expand its base in Punjab, the Bharatiya Janata Party will launch a yatra against drugs in all 13 Lok Sabha constituencies of the state from the second week of March, said a senior party functionary.

CHANDIGARH

Considering drug menace as a big political issue at the grassroots level in Punjab, the BJP planned the yatra by roping in senior leaders from Delhi. (Representational Photo)
Considering drug menace as a big political issue at the grassroots level in Punjab, the BJP planned the yatra by roping in senior leaders from Delhi. (Representational Photo)

In a bid to expand its base in Punjab, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will launch a yatra against drugs in all 13 Lok Sabha constituencies of the state from the second week of March, said a senior party functionary.

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The party’s high-pitched campaign ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls is likely to be flagged off by Union home minister Amit Shah.

The saffron party has two Lok Sabha MPs from Punjab – actor Sunny Deol from Gurdaspur and Som Parkash from Hoshiarpur. The party’s vote share in 2019 general elections was 9.63%.

Considering drug menace as a big political issue at the grassroots level in Punjab, the BJP planned the yatra by roping in senior leaders from Delhi.

Though the final itinerary of the yatra is being finalised keeping in view the availability of senior central party leaders, the state unit says that after being flagged off from one station, the yatra will be held across all 13 parliamentary segments simultaneously.

“BJP leaders will travel on different routes in a particular parliamentary segment, including the rural hinterlands, for two-three months and would finally gather at one place. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to address this conglomeration,” a senior BJP leader said.

The party has also planned to rope in artistes from the Punjabi music industry in the yatra keeping in mind their appeal among the youngsters.

Reports of deaths due to drug overdose and Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit’s repeated outburst against the state government on the issue has kept the political pot boiling in the state.

When contacted, state BJP leader Ashwani Sharma said final blueprint of the yatra is being prepared. “It’s not an issue of political mileage for us. The BJP wants to make a mass movement against drugs to save our generations. Successive governments have failed to end this menace and the BJP would give its commitment to the people to end it,” said Sharma.

Earlier, the yatra was planned for November 20 but keeping in view the involvement of senior party leaders in Gujarat and Himachal polls, it was postponed.

It’s not for the first time that the saffron party has planned a yatra against the drug menace. In 2016 too, the party had planned a similar even amid growing tussle with its ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Even the dates and venue were finalised, but it was postponed after intervention of a senior party leader and both parties jointly contested the next polls.

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