Jakhar hopes better sense will prevail, protesting farmers will vote for BJP in Punjab

Chandigarh, May 13 (PTI) Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar Monday expressed the hope that better sense will prevail and the protesting farmers will eventually vote for his party in the state.

The issues of the agitating farmers can only be addressed by the next BJP government at the Centre and whose victory now appears "inevitable", he claimed.

Jakhar said the farmers are being "misused and misled" by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab.

The state AAP is dangerously scripting unrest during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, he alleged.

"I appeal to the farmers to use their wisdom while voting. I hope that better sense will prevail and the protesting farmers will eventually vote for the BJP in the state.

"They should vote for the party that can address their issues. The BJP has always been open for a dialogue and will address the issues of the farmers," Jakhar said in Sangrur.

The BJP candidates and leaders have been facing protests from the farmers while campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls.

As part of the protests, the farmers ask questions to the BJP leaders and show them black flags for not agreeing to their demands.

Jakhar said two Union ministers had come from Delhi and had talked to the farmers' organisations. He was referring to the meetings between the farmers' representatives and the ministers in February.

"CM Bhagwant Mann then acted as an advocate meddling in the talks. Where has he disappeared now and why isn't he talking to the farmers anymore? The problem is he was a wrong choice as a self-appointed advocate," the state BJP chief said.

The farmers should protest peacefully and democratically instead of sitting on the railway tracks and roads, and disrupting the traffic while causing harassment to the traders and people, said Jakhar.

"Punjab has virtually become a police cantonment and the law and order is abysmally poor. No woman is safe in the state. There is extortion and other crimes. Drug menace is rampant under the AAP rule in Punjab," Jakhar alleged.

The Punjab BJP president said the two-terms of Bhagwant Mann as the MP from Sangrur have been "disastrous" with development work coming to a standstill. PTI CHS KSS KSS