JAKHAR TAKES OVER IN PUNJAB, DECLARES BJP A FORCE IN THE STATE

Underlining that the "world's largest party" was a strong political force in Punjab on its own, former Member of Parliament (MP) Sunil Jakhar officially took over as President of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Punjab unit on Tuesday.

- TARUNI GANDHI

Jakhar called on the party's cadre to realise and draw on their true collective strengths and play a pivotal role in Punjab's future politics singlehandedly.

In recent years, the BJP on its own has grown immensely in Punjab and there is palpable traction amongst Punjabis for several key initiatives taken by the Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi government, Jakhar said while referring to the party's enhanced stature in the overall political consciousness in the state.

"With your support and commitment, I look forward to building on this strength," Jakhar further said underlining that his biggest responsibility is to ensure respect for each of his party cadres to strengthen the party's base across the state.

Referring to the party's past political alliance, Jakhar in his first address to party cadre at the state BJP office in Chandigarh on Tuesday afternoon, "We have to move past the younger brother mindset because the responsibility on our shoulders is too big and we know we have the strength to play a decisive role on our own which people of Punjab want us to play by providing intellectual leadership."