The Bahujan Samaj Party’s (BSP’s) surprise move to ask its state unit chief Avtar Singh Karimpuri to quit the post and contest from the Phillaur assembly segment has spiced up the political battle in the constituency ahead of the assembly polls scheduled early next year.
The stage is set for an intense battle of the ballot in the constituency where the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Congress have virtually announced their candidates. While former BSP leader Baldev Singh Khaira is likely contest elections as the Akali candidate, the Congress may field Vikramjit Chaudhary, son of sitting Jalandhar MP Santokh Chaudhary, from Phillaur.
The Chaudhary family is putting all its might behind Vikramjit to ensure his win from the segment, from where his father lost twice (2007 and 2012 assembly polls), the SAD is banking on Khaira’s popularity and the dent he will make into the BSP vote bank.
Khaira, who got more than 43,000 votes in the 2012 polls as the BSP candidate, joined the SAD in August. Party chief and deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had last week announced him as the Akali candidate from Phillaur.
Vikramjit’s ticket also seems final as Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh has recently termed him the best bet from the constituency.
{{/usCountry}}Vikramjit’s ticket also seems final as Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh has recently termed him the best bet from the constituency.
{{/usCountry}}WHY KARIMPURI?
By fielding Karimpuri, the BSP leadership has tried to kill two birds with one stone. The Phillaur seat, which has not gone in the BSP’s kitty in the last five assembly polls, is considered a hub of party ideologue Dr Bhimrao Ambekar and BSP founder Kanshi Ram’s followers.
The reason for fielding Karimpuri is to break the stigma that the BSP is the B-team of the SAD and never wants its leaders to win the polls, say party sources.
“The vote share of the BSP has gone down in other assembly segments over the years, but it has managed to hold on to its base in Phillaur. In present circumstances, it’s a seat where the party can hope to register a win. In 2012 polls, the party lost by a margin of only 3,000 votes,” said a senior party leader.
NOT AN EASY TASK
Managing the show will not be easy for Karimpuri in the Phillaur segment as in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the party candidate got only 12,000 votes as compared to 43,000 in the 2012 assembly polls.
“Senior leaders have deserted the party under Karimpuri’s leadership. It’s a double-edged sword for him as all those who have left the party may gang up against him to settle a score,” said a senior BSP leader.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is yet to declare its candidate from Phillaur.
The Congress won the seat in 1992 and 2002, while SAD candidates have emerged victorious in 1997, 2007 and 2012.