New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a detailed one-on-one meeting with Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon at the Parliament House complex, where the two reviewed key issues affecting the state, including law and order, the drug menace, economic challenges and the recent recruitment examination paper leak.
According to Dhillon, the discussion lasted around 35 minutes and focused on Punjab’s current situation as well as the party’s preparations ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. He said the Prime Minister sought updates on concerns such as the spread of narcotics, organised crime, and the state’s financial condition.
During the interaction, Dhillon also flagged the alleged leak of the recruitment examination conducted by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) for pharmacist posts. He claimed the incident had raised serious questions over the functioning of the state administration and urged that the matter be viewed with the same seriousness as other examination leak cases.
Referring to the issue, Dhillon reportedly told the Prime Minister that while political parties had strongly criticised the NEET-UG paper leak, similar allegations involving a state-run recruitment process in Punjab also required accountability and action.
The Prime Minister is said to have expressed concern over the developments discussed during the meeting, including Punjab’s economic challenges. Dhillon later told reporters that Modi encouraged the state BJP leadership to continue strengthening the organisation and work towards expanding the party’s presence in Punjab.
One of the key moments of the meeting came when Dhillon requested the Prime Minister to visit Punjab more frequently. According to the Punjab BJP chief, Modi responded positively, assuring him that he would travel to the state whenever required.
“The Prime Minister said he would come to Punjab whenever he is invited,” Dhillon said after the meeting, describing the assurance as a sign of the Centre’s continued engagement with the state.
As a gesture of respect, Dhillon also presented karha prasad from the Golden Temple in Amritsar to the Prime Minister during their meeting.
The interaction assumes significance as the BJP intensifies its political outreach in Punjab ahead of next year’s Assembly elections, with governance, public safety and employment expected to remain central issues in the campaign.
