Punjab BJP to launch yatra against drugs in March

New Delhi: The BJP’s Punjab unit has started chalking out plans for an yatra against drugs. According to party sources, the yatra could start in the second or third week of March. The yatra is seen as the party’s bid to increase its foothold on the ground. The yatra will take place in all 13 Lok Sabha constituencies of the state.
While addressing the BJP state executive last month, Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma discussed the yatra. According to the Sharma, the yatra will start in March and continue till August.
“The party has started planning the routes from where Yatra will pass and the state leadership is consulting with the central leadership about the yatra. Soon, we will bring the final plan of the yatra,” a senior Punjab BJP functionary said. According to BJP leaders in Punjab, the Yatra will travel in different routes in Punjab and the majority of the Assembly segments and all Lok Sabha segments would be covered by the yatra.
Various senior leaders from the central unit of the party will participate in the yatra. The central leadership of the saffron party is keeping a keen eye on the state. According to sources, in the future, Home minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J.P. Nadda will spend half a day in every Assembly segment and address rallies in Punjab. According to media reports, Prime Minister Modi could also address a rally in the state.
In the last 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP won two seats in the state, one from Gurdaspur and the other from Hoshiarpur. The BJP’s total vote share from Punjab was 9.63%. At that time, BJP was an alliance partner of the Shiromani Akali Dal, but in September 2020, the alliance broke due to disagreement on farm laws. “This will boost the morale of the workers and it will show the strength of the party on the ground. Various ‘morchas’ of the party will be informed about their duty,” a BJP leader said.
According to some reports, the party is also planning to rope in artistes from the Punjabi music industry to lure youth into the yatra. The drug issue again ignited in Punjab and recently various videos of youth consuming drugs have gone viral on social media. The opposition parties in Punjab are cornering AAP on the drug menace issue. Last week, Governor of the Punjab Banwarilal Purohit lashed out at the Mann government on the drug issue and said drugs are available like grocery items and have entered schools.