JALANDHAR: The state BJP leadership appears to be using a carrot and stick policy to make former local bodies minister Anil Joshi come round on the issue of farmers’ agitation.
First they called him to a meeting with conciliator Madan Mohan Mittal and then targeted him “on cue” after he refused to change his stand.
Joshi asked the state BJP to stand up for the farmers and gave it a 15-day ultimatum to stop him from going round the state with his views.
Mittal was picked as conciliator for being most senior member of the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
When efforts were on to make Joshi reconcile, Jalandhar district BJP president Sushil Sharma, issued a statement that: “Joshi got Arun Jaitley to contest the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat on the promise of huge victory but Jaitley lost by more than 1 lakh votes.” Unattributed posters were released on social media to target Joshi.
Sources in state BJP said Joshi was proving to be a tough nut to crack, and the offensive was to control any damage he might cause.
Two time former BJP MLA K D Bhandari, who also remained chief parliamentary secretary, has also expressed support for Joshi and the issue of farmers protest he has raised.
Bhandari had remained MLA from Jalandhar north.
“Joshi has spoken up for the sake of Punjab, its people and spirit of Punjabiyat.
He has aired what most of the people of the state think about farmers protest.
He has dared to say what most actually think on the issue,” Bhandari told TOI.
“Already people from non-farming backgrounds and from different communities have also expressed support to farmers’ cause and we are with the farmers of Punjab.
I support him on this issue,” he said.
Bhandari was present during the meeting between Madan Mohan Mitta and Joshi at Chandigarh.
Already former minister Master Mohan Lal has expressed support of Joshi and now Bhandari also coming in his support openly has complicated the issue for state BJP leadership.