Is that situation emerging?

Editorial By- Sukhpreet Giani

After a whirlwind bitter campaign never seen before in Punjab, the voters have sealed the fate of the candidates in the ballot boxes till March 11^th. For the first time Punjab witnessed a three corned contest with the Congress, SAD-BJP alliance vying with the new entrant AamAadmi Party (AAP). Congress that was supposed to have worked for dethroning the ruling SAD-BJP was found making it apparent that it considers AAP as the major challenger. The leaders of SAD-BJP were not less worried due to a party that came in existence only three years back.

Scion of the erstwhile royal family of Patiala and former chief minister, Capt. Amarinder Singh, has had a great responsibility not only to lead Congress to wrest power from the SAD-BJP alliance but also to put a brake on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s objective of “Congress Mukt Bharat” (Congress less India). A large section of voters displayed their anger for the ruling Badal family and also expressed that a change of guard in Punjab would bring the arrogance of the leaders to BJP a rank down.

Capt’s task becomes enormous considering two other states Manipur and Uttrakhandwhere  Congress is in power has not much chance of coming back to power.  It’s a huge political gamble for both Congress and the Capt. already having declared this to be his last elections. While BJP has intensified its Congress Mukht campaign, Congress could salvage some support and numbers considering its presence is now limited to Karnataka, Meghalaya and Mizoram.  It’s logical for Congress to bank upon Punjab and on Capt. Amarinder Singh as he defeated ArunJaitley in the last Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar at the time of “Modi wave”.

The elections in Punjab saw certain unprecedented contests. Captain Amarinder Singh took on incumbent chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, but also contested from his safe seat Patiala. An alleged audio clip of Parkash Singh Badal begging a party supporter for support showed the nervousness that the party faced from the voters and the AamAadmi Party (AAP).  The arrogance of Badal senior was a rank lower! His daughter in law too issued a long video clip reminding Punjabis how she and her Husband Sukhbir Singh Badal had lost prime time “serving” Punjab, which kept them away from their growing kids. Social media was buzzing that asked the voters to “spare” the two to concentrate and enjoy with the kids.

These elections in Punjab gave AAP best opportunity after having rested Delhi two years back.  If it manages to do what it did in the national capital, AAP will have a chance to play a major role in national politics.  In Delhi, the AAP government has had major issues of the Central government interfering in the matters of the state, while in Punjab it will be in “full control”. Sensing frustration of Punjabis, leaders of AAP raised issues of corruption and drugs very vocally and assured voters of taking action against the ruling family if voted to power.  An extraordinary campaign was run by all parties on the social network sites, and exceptional support was visible to AAP. In yet another first of its kind, many Non Resident Indians reached Punjab to work for AAP, and both Congress and SAD got embroiled in calling them names. SAD lost its balance when Deputy Chief Minister SukhbirBadallabeled all those as “separatist”, as the party had nothing else to counter the allegations of drug abuse and law and order issues.

A record polling could be a sign of a great anti incumbency where by the voters have vented out their feelings in the form of the ballot. Having witnessed a series of “first of its kind” in Punjab election, are we looking at another first-where neither Congress nor the SAD-BJP alliance come to regain the power? Perhaps that situation is emerging.