Chandigarh: Lok Sabha elections from Punjab would be different this time round. Different, yes, but would they make a difference? May be not. There are 13 parliamentary constituencies in the state and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has vowed to field candidates from all. The current break up is skewed heavily in Congress's favour with 8 MPs from the Indian National Congress, 4 from the Shiromani Akali Dal and Navjot Sidhu - the sole BJP representative. This breakup is not likely to hold and the SAD-BJP combine might gain. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal talks of a clean sweep and one cannot just dismiss his claim as he was pretty much spot on in the assembly elections. Sukhbir's current brand of logic is simple. The centre will see the NDA coming to power, we are thick with the BJP, vote for us and Punjab will see development.
Well, that is, if the NDA comes to power. For now, the race is on.
AAP factor in Punjab
What about the AAP factor? The Aam Aadmi Party, while sure of the 13 seats it will be contesting, is not sure who its candidates will be. Unlike other parties, AAP faces unusual pressure and scrutiny on the choices it finally makes. Unlike other parties, one error of choice by the AAP can have partywide ramifications. Yogendra Yadav speaking to CNN-IBN said the pressure on the party for the right candidates is high. And perhaps it is that pressure which has kept the party away from the Peoples Party of Punjab (PPP) led by former state finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal who belongs to the powerful Badal family, though estranged now.
While PPP formed after Manpreet broke away from the Shiromani Akali Dal citing misgovernance, corruption and financial imprudence, it has not been able to make a mark - scoring a zero in the last state assembly polls. Though the PPP appears keen on forming an alliance of sorts with the AAP, the latter is not able to see any credentials in the party to make it desire such an arrangement. Unlike the AAP, the PPP in Punjab has been unable to translate theoretical speeches into concrete actionable promises or show a sincerity of intent. That has worked against it. Faction ridden, pitted with internal dissidence and lack of any known leader other than Manpreet Badal, the PPP is for now a spent force.
But will the AAP make a difference? It already has. Suddenly the language of all parties in the state is development, people oriented policies and eliminating corruption. While the challenge to the ruling SAD on the development and people orientation might be debatable, corruption and nepotism continue to be an issue and perhaps the achilles heel of the SAD.
Are Congress workers depressed in Punjab? Well, even if they are, aspirant numbers show no such symptoms. There has been a spurt in the number of applicants. 124 congress men have sought tickets for the 13 seats. The list includes sitting and former MLAs, former MPs, a former party chief and a chairman of the SC/ST Commission. The scrutiny committee has had its meetings, and the final choice of course rests with Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
Namo, BJP
At least 10 BJP hopefuls are slugging it out for the three constituencies where BJP candidates will be fielded - Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur. The current MP from Amritsar , Navjot Singh Sidhu does not get along very well with the top leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab, and it was thought he would not show interest in the Amritsar seat. While it has not yet been made clear if Navjot Sidhu would be named the MP hopeful from Amritsar, there have also been rumors of his being fielded from the Delhi (West) Parliamentary constituency. In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had lost both the Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur seats. This time round, the party is riding high on a presumed NaMo wave and hoping to bag all three constituencies that it contests. Miss Pooja a popular Punjabi singer who joined the BJP amidst much fanfare last year was being thought of as a hopeful from Hoshiarpur but has now said she would not be contesting but will campaign for the party. This might have come as a disappointment to her fans, but the party leadership had a nagging feeling that fielding her might just not have the popular effect they imagine.
And of course, the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Badal would be contesting the remaining 11 lok sabha seats. Sitting MP Harsmirat Kaur Badal will be contesting from the Bathinda constituency. Wife of deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal, Harsmirat is a vociferous and powerful personality in the Shiromani Akali Dal. The unusual focus on the Bathinda constituency by the state government also makes it a hot bed of political activity. Instead of protests being launched in Chandigarh where the state government is seated, the focus now is on Bathinda which has come to symbolise the Badals and hence the Shiromani Akali Dal.
Politics in Punjab has been reduced from issue based contests to a game of astutely moving resources and managing people. Sukhbir Badal is good at it. Congress is in a disarray and showing no signs of banding together. AAP is still too raw in the state and much of what it fought for in Delhi is not what would make headlines in Punjab. The BJP is on a limited wicket and is hoping to ride the NaMo wave. For now it seems advantage SAD-BJP unless something makes us want to rewrite theory.
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