New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest on 65 seats in Punjab, while allies Captain Amarinder Singh’s Punjab Lok Congress will fight on 37 seats and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa’s Akali Dal will fight on 15 seats. In a press conference here on Monday, BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda gave information about the seat sharing between the three parties.
Nadda said that the Punjab election is a battle to ensure the safety of the future generations. Along with Nadda, Singh and Dhindsa, Union Ministers Hardeep Puri and Union Minister and Punjab Election in-charge Gajendra Singh Shekhawat were present on the dais along at the seat sharing announcement.
“Punjab is a state situated on the border of Pakistan. Therefore, keeping in mind the security of the country, it is very important to have a stable and strong government in Punjab. Pakistan has always been trying to spread unrest in our country through Punjab, this is not hidden from anyone,” Nadda said.
“We have also seen how there are attempts to smuggle drugs and weapons across the border. This is the reason that for stability and development in Punjab, it is necessary to have good relations between the central and state government,” he said.
Singh meanwhile said he was the chief minister for four and a half years, and always raised the issue regarding security threat from Pakistan.
“I was the Chief Minister of Punjab for four and a half years. Rifles, pistols, RDX and ammunition is smuggled by Pakistan with drones. That is why when it was decided to increase the range of the Border Security Force’s jurisdiction from 15 km to 50 km, I told those opposing it about the danger of drones,” he said.
Punjab polls will be held in a single phase on February 20, and counting would be done on March 10.Â
