Chandigarh, May 19
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Monday accused the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government of undermining democracy by allegedly rejecting nomination papers of BJP candidates in large numbers during the ongoing local body elections.
Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, Jakhar said the BJP would move court against the rejections and would not allow the ruling AAP to “loot the elections through unfair means.” He alleged that the government had selectively targeted BJP candidates in constituencies where the party was in a strong position, citing rejection of 21 nomination papers in Batala, 10 in Moga, 11 in Barnala and 3 in Dhuri, besides similar incidents elsewhere. “These nomination papers have been rejected without any concrete grounds,” he charged.
Jakhar further claimed that the Punjab government was following the same “Saam, Daam, Dand, Bhed” political strategy earlier referred to by AAP leader Manish Sisodia, accusing officials of acting as political agents instead of ensuring free and fair elections. He said the BJP was collecting details of officers involved and would strongly oppose what he described as misuse of government machinery. He also cautioned Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann against disregarding democratic norms and traditions.
Referring to the underground electricity cable project being inaugurated by the Chief Minister, Jakhar demanded an investigation into the tendering process, alleging that the approval was granted during the tenure of a former power minister currently jailed on corruption charges. He added that several corruption-related matters linked to the government would eventually come to light, pointing to CLU (Change of Land Use) cases around Chandigarh already under the radar of investigative agencies.
Turning to farmers’ issues, Jakhar highlighted fertilizer subsidies being provided by the Centre under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said international prices of DAP and urea had surged due to the Gulf conflict, but the government remained committed to uninterrupted supply. He noted that India was importing urea at nearly ₹100 per kilogram while farmers were receiving it at only ₹6, with the Centre providing a subsidy of ₹4,250 per bag on urea and ₹3,200 per bag on DAP. Punjab, he said, annually consumes 6.88 crore bags of urea and 1.60 crore bags of DAP, translating into nearly ₹32,000 crore in subsidies this year alone. Wheat-paddy farmers, he added, were effectively receiving fertilizer support worth around ₹42,000 per acre. Jakhar assured that there would be no shortage of fertilizers and urged farmers to use them judiciously to reduce wastage and preserve soil health.
Responding to questions on petroleum prices, Jakhar criticized what he called misinformation being spread on the issue. He claimed fuel prices had risen only 3% in India compared to 42% in Pakistan, 39.5% in Nepal, 35% in the United States, 40% in the UAE and 33% in Sri Lanka. He said this reflected the “effective leadership” of Prime Minister Modi, as Indian farmers continued to receive fertilizers, diesel and petrol at comparatively stable prices despite sharp increases in international markets. Calling the situation a global crisis, he urged citizens to focus on conservation and responsible consumption rather than politicising the issue.
