Punjab BJP chief Vijay Sampla denies reports of resignation

The chief of the Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Vijay Sampla, on Tuesday said reports about him resigning from the party were false.

"The reports regarding me (offering to quit as Punjab BJP chief) are false and nothing else, these are all rumours. I had gone for some work," Sampla said.

Earlier it was reported that Sampla had offered to resign because he was unhappy about the way tickets for candidates had been distributed for the upcoming state assembly elections by the BJP's central election committee.

The BJP has removed two prospective candidates who are currently ministers in the Punjab government from the list of six candidates for the February 4 state assembly polls.

The party has announced 23 candidates for the state elections. The remaining seats will be contested by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

The BJP had on January 12 announced a first list of 17 candidates for state assembly polls. The last date of filing the nomination is January 18. SAD-BJP is locked in a tough battle with Congress and AAP, which has emerged as a formidable third force in the state.