BJP may give Jagdish Sahni return present

“The party is likely to revoke the suspension of Sahni who was chief parliamentary secretary (CPS),” a BJP leader said. The leader added,however,that Sahni was unlikely to get back his CPS job,the top contenders for which are now Jalandhar MLA K D Bhandari and Amritsar MLA Anil Joshi.

Sahni was suspended after he described the party as “impotent” for not acting against Health and Family Welfare Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla,whom he accused of corruption. Sahni was angry with Chawla after the state Health Department raided three ultrasound diagnostic centres linked to him in Batala. Sahni also attacked Bhandari,Kalia and the BJP’s state in-charge Balbir Punj.

Sources said changes were on the cards in the BJP in the government as well.

Chawla may be switched to Forests,and Labour and Medical Education Minister Tikshan Sud given charge of Health and Family Welfare.

Talk that the continuing illness of Technical Education and Social Security and Development Minister Chaudhary Swarna Ram might cost him the ministry may not be true — there is no suitable Dalit candidate on the horizon for the BJP.

The transport ministry,currently with Master Mohan Lal,may have a new incumbent,sources said.

Should a vacancy arise,Deputy Speaker Sat Pal Gosain may get a ministerial berth. Fazilka MLA Surjit Jayani may be made Deputy Speaker then,the sources added.