Lagatar24 Desk
Chandigarh: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday dismissed rumours about the resignation of Sunil Jakhar as the president of the Punjab unit. Speculation had arisen over his absence from a key meeting, but senior party leaders have debunked reports of his departure.
Despite the lack of an official statement from the BJP, party sources confirmed that Jakhar had expressed frustration over the state of affairs and had conveyed his reluctance to continue in the position. According to sources, Jakhar felt restricted in his ability to work freely as state president.
“He has offered to step down, but the party advised him to remain in the post until the next election in December, and he agreed to the suggestion,” a senior BJP leader told IANS.
Rumours of Differences
Reports of Jakhar’s dissatisfaction gained traction after he skipped a meeting on Thursday that was meant to finalize the BJP’s strategy for the ongoing membership drive. His absence fueled speculation that Jakhar was boycotting the event in protest.
However, Harjit Singh Grewal, a senior Punjab BJP leader, dismissed these claims. “Jakhar is the party’s senior-most leader, and I met him recently. He has not expressed any intent to resign,” Grewal told a news channel. He explained that Jakhar’s absence was due to prior engagements and had no connection with the rumoured resignation or any dissatisfaction with the central leadership.
Sunil Jakhar’s Background
Appointed as Punjab BJP chief in July 2023, Jakhar joined the party in May 2022 after leaving the Congress, following its defeat in the Punjab Assembly elections. A former Lok Sabha MP from Gurdaspur and three-time MLA from the Abohar constituency, Jakhar is known for his straightforward approach and plain speaking.
Before joining the BJP, Jakhar served as Congress state president for four years, before being replaced by Navjot Singh Sidhu in 2021.
