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AAP surge in Punjab worries Congress camp
As polling ended on all 13 seats in Punjab on Wednesday, the Congress appeared worried over the “unexpected surge” of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), apprehending that the debutant party could upset its poll calculations in the state.
As polling ended on all 13 seats in Punjab on Wednesday, the Congress appeared worried over the “unexpected surge” of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), apprehending that the debutant party could upset its poll calculations in the state.
Congress sources in Delhi were of the view that AAP could hurt its overall poll prospects in Punjab by dividing the anti-incumbency votes. “Our reports are that AAP is doing well in many constituencies. But we are worried that it is doing what Manpreet Singh Badal did in assembly elections. His party cut into our votes,” a senior Congress functionary said.
Manpreet’s People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) had secured 5.17% vote share in the 2012 assembly elections that turned the tables for the Congress and enabled the Akali Dal-BJP to retain power.
The alliance thus created history by returning to power in Punjab that had in all previous elections thrown out the incumbent government.
Manpreet, a nephew of Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, is this time contesting on a Congress symbol from Bhatinda against his cousin and deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal’s wife Harsmirat Kaur.
Congress sources said the party could also “suffer’ due to heavy infighting between camps owing allegiance to state unit chief Partap Singh Bajwa and former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh.
“We are also not benefitting substantially from Manpreet’s 2012 vote share. A chunk of it is going to AAP since his supporters apparently are angry with him for joining hands with us,” another Congress leader said.
On its part, the AAP is confident that it will “make a huge mark” in Punjab due to the people’s apathy towards the Congress, the BJP and the Akali Dal.
“Corruption and drug menace are rampant in the state. People want a change and are looking for a party that will provide good governance,” said an AAP strategist.
The debutant party’s internal assessment is that it will get at least three seats – Gurdaspur, Sangrur and Ludhiana – and could be second in two-three other constituencies. “People have shown their anger against the two main national parties and the Akali Dal by voting for us,” an AAP leader said.
In Ludhiana, the AAP has fielded lawyer HS Phoolka who fought cases on behalf of 1984 riot-hit families, comedian Bhagwant Mann from Sangrur, radical Sikh faces Sucha Singh Chottepur in Gurdaspur and Harinder Singh Khalsa in Fatehgarh Sahib.
In Amritsar, the BJP is hoping that it could benefit from AAP candidate Daljit Singh, an 80-year-old renowned eye surgeon, as he is expected to cut into Congress votes.
Congress leaders in Delhi also sounded apprehensive of Amarinder’s victory over senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley from Amritsar. An influential section in the Congress said that Amarinder’s “overconfidence” could prove “damaging” for him. “He refused any help and even didn’t want any central leader to campaign for him,” a senior party functionary said.
