AMRITSAR With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expelling former local bodies minister Anil Joshi from the party for six years, for what state president Ashwani Sharma has termed ‘indiscipline’ and ‘anti-party activities’, Joshi’s next move will be keenly watched in political circles.
Sources said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will be the least of his priorities, with former Punjab Police inspector general (IG) Kunwar Vijay Partap recently joining it. As Amritsar senior superintendent of police (SSP) in 2009, Kunwar had locked horns with Joshi, a BJP MLA then, who sat on a dharna against his own government seeking his transfer.
It is also a given that Joshi will contest the next elections from any of the assembly segments in Amritsar. Kunwar, however, is likely to get the AAP ticket from Amritsar north, a Hindu dominated seat and the home turf of Joshi.
Advocate RP Singh, a close aide of Joshi, who had quit the BJP in support of protesting farmers a few months ago, and joined the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), congratulated him. In a Facebook post, RP said, “Congratulations for being Independent.”
The post carried the election symbol of the SAD, with a victory sign for 2022 assembly elections. This is being interpreted to mean that Joshi is likely to join the SAD. The seat-sharing arrangement between the SAD and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), however, is seen as a hurdle to this possibility.
{{/usCountry}}The post carried the election symbol of the SAD, with a victory sign for 2022 assembly elections. This is being interpreted to mean that Joshi is likely to join the SAD. The seat-sharing arrangement between the SAD and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), however, is seen as a hurdle to this possibility.
{{/usCountry}}The SAD has already given Amritsar north seat from where Joshi was elected as MLA in 2007 and 2012, to the BSP. When queried, a senior SAD leader said, “Resolving this issue is not difficult, if Joshi is ready to join the party.” The SAD holds sway in some villages falling in this constituency. Joshi, however, will remember that SAD workers in Tarn Taran had thrashed his brother and aides during local elections years ago.
For the Congress, sitting MLA Sunil Dutti, had defeated Joshi in his home turf in 2017. Another influential Congress leader, Amritsar mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu, is also from this seat. Political observers, thus, conclude that the Congress may not be a viable option for Joshi.
Some of his aides claim he could also contest as an Independent, as he holds considerable influence in the constituency.
When asked about his future, Joshi said, “I have no agenda/plan to join any other party. I have been punished for supporting farmers, and I accept it. They have not hung me, at least. I am a product of the organisation and am attached to their ideology from which I cannot detach myself.”
“I have always worked with honesty for my country and Punjab. I am proud of being a Punjabi and will always raise the voice of state’s residents, irrespective of the consequences,” he added.