Though assembly poll in Punjab are over, the political parties in fray are on the tenterhooks. The 71.95% voter turnout – lowest in the past 15 years – has only bared the lack of enthusiasm among the electorate despite it being the state’s first multi-polar election, reports Rajesh Moudgil
This assembly election in Punjab has had many firsts. It was a multi-corner fight among Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)-alliance, the BJP-Punjab Lok Congress (PLC)-SAD (Sanyukt)-combine and the farmers’ outfit Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM). Punjab had seen only bi-polar polls between Congress and SAD since its re-organisation in 1966, except for 2017 when AAP made it a triangular contest.
It is also for the first time that the state election had a Dalit chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and also first time that the two of the four political majors – Congress and AAP – had announced their chief ministerial candidates, Channi and Bhagwant Mann, respectively.
While BJP has fought its maximum of 65 seats with an alliance with PLC and SAD-(Sanyukt), it is also the first time that a farmers’ outfit Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM) was also in the fray. Results would be out on March 10. Going whole hog in the polls all the main parties vied with each other to woo the voters promising a host of freebies.
Congress it’s own enemy
With the Congress rebels having contested its own party candidates at several seats, severe damage stares at the party in this election. In at least 10 assembly constituencies, some of the Congress leaders – who have been denied tickets for themselves or their favourite ones – have fought as independents or joined the rivals.
There is chief minister Channi’s brother Dr Manohar, to begin with, who has fought from Bassi Pathana constituency (district Fatehgarh Sahib) against Congress’ sitting MLA Gurpreet Singh.
Likewise, the Congress’ four-time MLA Amrik Singh Dhillon has fought as independent from his Samrala (district Ludhiana) seat after the Congress decided to replace him with Rupinder Singh Raja Gill, a prominent realtor from nearby Khanna segment and who is the son of former minister Karam Singh Gill.
Another seat where Congress is set to face damage is at Tanwandi Sabo seat (district Bathinda) where the three-time former MLA Harminder Singh Jassi, a relative of jailed Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has contested against party candidate Khushbaz Singh Jattana.
