Jaipur: Rajasthan BJP chief Satish Poonia has vowed to skip dinner and not accept garlands till the time the saffron party returns to power in the desert state. He shall also not wear ‘safa’ till the time the Congress government is uprooted from Rajasthan and BJP returns to power with absolute majority.
Speaking exclusively to IANS while on his way to campaign in the poll-bound state of Uttar Pradesh, Poonia said, “Party workers have been bringing garlands, bouquets and other gifts for me. However, I have told them that let’s bring our party back to power first and only then shall I accept these garlands and bouquets. It will be a big moment, so let’s all work together. I will also not have dinner till BJP returns to power with absolute majority.”
Talking to this correspondent, Poonia spoke on a range of issues plaguing the party in Rajasthan and said that the 2023 Assembly polls shall see fresh candidates.
“We have plans to field around 50 per cent fresh faces to ensure new workers get the chance to prove themselves; I am working on a model to ensure each of our booth worker knows each member of the party, that’s how we are building bonds with the people at the grassroots level,” he said.
When asked about the fractions hitting the party’s prospects in Rajasthan, Poonia said, “I am keeping a close watch on all the developments taking place within the party. I have been travelling to the interiors to strengthen the grassroots base. Many strategic initiatives have been taken by our party workers and that’s the reason why the BJP stood strong in the panchayat polls, giving a tough time to the ruling Congress.”
Poonia also looked quite comfortable when asked why former CM Vasundhara Raje cannot be seen campaigning for the Assembly polls in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh when other leaders are leading from the front.
“She is our national vice-president and the party high command knows who needs to be given what charge; these are issues that are decided from the party office,” he said.
It needs to be mentioned here that Raje and her team has been maintaining a distance from party meetings ever since Poonia was elevated to the post of Rajasthan BJP chief.
Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who is an MP from Jodhpur, is BJP’s in-charge for Punjab elections, while Poonia has also been assigned to campaign for the party in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
Speaking on the fractions within the party from the time he assumed charge as state unit chief, Poonia said, “I am a humble worker of the party, and I am working with honesty to take everyone along. We are like a big family where there are issues, but they are also resolved.”
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Mohammed Baleegh | 
