Vidhan Sabha session leaves BJP bruised

Chandigarh, The Congress was seen tearing the SAD-BJP coalition apart during the three-day Assembly session that concluded yesterday. It was one of the briefest session with just three sittings. But the Congress MLAs led by CLP Leader Sunil Jakhar made the most of the session and put the SAD-BJP alliance on the mat, especially on the issue of drugs and that of Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia.The Congress decision to move a no-confidence motion against the SAD-BJP government was a well-thought-out decision. “The objective was to expose the BJP, which has been riding on the drug issue,” said Jakhar. “I think we did exceedingly well by taking the BJP head-on,” he added. After the session, it was the BJP, and not the SAD, that came out most bruised.Even as BJP state president Kamal Sharma and national secretary Tarun Chugh sought Majithia’s resignation while talking to mediapersons, BJP legislators and ministers chose to stood by the Akalis in the Assembly as the Congress mounted a fierce attack on the coalition government on the issue of drugs and the summoning of Majithia by the Enforcement Directorate, Jalandhar.The division in the BJP ranks on the issue of drugs was there for all to see. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently expressed concern on the drug menace in Punjab during a radio show. The BJP national president, Amit Shah, is to visit the state on January 12 to launch a campaign against drugs. It remains to be seen how the BJP faces the people on the issue of drugs after its battering in the Assembly. Clearly, the Congress has enough ammunition to attack the BJP in public. Apparently, the just-concluded session has infused life into the Congress, which may now step up efforts to revive its political fortunes in the state.In fact, the alliance partners (SAD and BJP) were seen fumbling in the Assembly. The alliance had no clear strategy to counter or deflect the Congress attack. Unwarranted remarks by Akali MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha put the BJP and the Akali leadership in an embarrassing situation in the Assembly. The BJP minister, Anil Joshi, repeatedly urged Chief MinisterParkash Singh Badal to caution his party MLAs to be careful about their utterances on the floor of the House. Even Badal, known for his ability to disarm the Opposition with his wit, helplessly witnessed the House proceedings.The House also saw intra-party duels, angry exchanges with the Speaker and wordplay between Akali and BJP legislators. The SAD ensured the passage of a resolution seeking the transfer of Chandigarh and Punjabi-speaking areas to Punjab. But with the drug issue dominating the proceedings, no one took appropriate note of it.