Punjab is set for the Assembly election in 2027. Political activities
have increased in the state, with the BJP, Congress Party, and Aam
Aadmi Party all set to lock horns. To understand the BJP’s plans,
Anurag Kumar had an in-depth conversation with Sanjay Tandon, former
state president of the BJP Chandigarh, president of the UT Cricket
Association, and a well-known political figure in Chandigarh Tricity.
Here are important excerpts from the exclusive conversation.
Q: How are the BJP preparations going for the Punjab Assembly Poll 2027?
A: In Punjab, we have been putting in a lot of effort for the past two
years. Our party has put in a lot of effort at the ground level. We
are always ready. I have complete faith that this time, the BJP will
form a government in the state.
Q: Just a few months ahead of the Punjab polls, AAP supremo Arvind
Kejriwal is released from jail. The Opposition is saying that the BJP
is using him as a voter cutter. Your comments?
A: If you look at the foundation of the AAP, in the last 15 years,
from its foundation till date, which two parties have been holding
mutual meetings? Examples are in front of you! In Chandigarh, Congress
and the AAP fought together. So, who shook hands? They fought together
in Delhi. So, to accuse the BJP of using Kejriwal as a voter cutter or
of being the B team of the BJP is wrong. They only see one thing –
somehow, the BJP should be stopped.
Q: How do you see the performance of the AAP in Punjab so far?
A: Everyone in Punjab today is worried. The AAP was formed to fight
against corruption. Today, the Punjab government is a champion of
corruption. They talked about the drug menace, but in the last 3-4
years, they haven’t taken any steps to control it. There has been
little visibility in the last six months since the AAP lost elections
in Delhi. In fact, Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria worked more
compared to the state government to control the drug menace. There is
also a law and order issue.
Q: AAP or Congress, which party do you think ruled Punjab better?
A: One was a thief, the other is a thug. God save them. Punjab used to
have one of the best road infrastructures. See the condition of the
state today!
Q: What is the reason that the BJP could not come to power in Punjab?
A: Since our alliance broke with the Akali Dal, our work has started
at the ground level. Today, people are saying that if you want to save
Punjab, then you have to bring the BJP to power.
Q: Will the BJP form a coalition with the Akali Dal in the coming elections?
A: It is too early to comment. The high command will decide.
Q: How serious is the problem of drugs in Punjab? How can it be tackled?
A: There are two types of issues with the drug menace. One is the
supply side, and the other is the consumption side. The supply side is
purely a law-and-order situation. On the consumption side, mental
make-up is important. For increasing awareness, our party has held
many programmes.
Q: What initiatives are you taking at your level in Chandigarh?
A: In Chandigarh, a lot of development has taken place, but there is
still hope for more. Congress leader and MP, Manish Tewari, is here,
who has made a system of being a weekly MP. He comes on Saturday and
leaves on Sunday. He comes here for 24 hours. He can’t even meet
people and be with them in their pain and needs.
Chandigarh, being a Union Territory, requires coordination. There’s no
effort from Tewari on this part.
We have a housing board problem in Chandigarh. I have had at least 30
meetings to find a solution. We will be able to give good news to the
people soon.
For 38 years, everyone tried to link the cricket organisation here
with the BCCI. But I got the credit of doing that in 2019; we were
able to get an affiliation from the BCCI. Today, our children play for
the country.