Located near the banks of Sutlej River, Sri Anandpur Sahib or the “city of bliss” is considered synonymous with Sikhism being the holy abode of last two Sikh Gurus. The Khalsa Panth, too, was founded in 1699 by Guru Gobind Singh; and this is, perhaps, the reason why everything there has a religion tinge to it, including politics.
Comprising majority of Sikh voters—more than 60 percent, Sri Anandpur Sahib constituency is likely to witness a ballot battle in the name of religion with the political parties once again exploiting the issues concerning the Sikh community. Be it the sacrilege issue, or be it the opening up of Kartarpur Sahib or convictions in 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases, the political parties are taking advantage of it all.
Banking on BJP-led Central Government’s decisions on Kartarpur Sahib corridor among other things, Shiromani Akali Dal’s (SAD) sitting MP Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra is “confident” of getting the re-nomination on party ticket, and even winning the seat.
On the other hand, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has declared Narinder Singh Shergill, who contested 2017 State Assembly election from Mohali segment, as its candidate.
But, for the Congress, it seems to be a problem of plenty as there are many aspirants vying for the party ticket from Sri Anandpur Sahib. Largely because the Akalis “dented” image post sacrilege incidents, coupled with AAP fading popularity graph, may make it an easy seat to win.
Unlike 2014 general elections, this election would witness a multi-cornered battle with a maha-gathbandhan taking shape under the banner of Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA).
The PDA comprise newly formed SAD (Taksali) headed by former Akali leader Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Punjabi Ekta Party headed by former AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Bains Brothers’ Lok Insaaf Party (LIP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) AAP’s “suspended” MP Dr Dharamvir Gandhi’s Punjab Manch, among others.
To top it all! Bargari Insaaf Morcha, that came into being in June 2018 to seek justice for two Sikh youth killed in police firing during a peaceful protest against series of sacrilege incidents in 2015, has also thrown its hat in the electoral arena. It has fielded Sikh leader Bikramjit Sodhi from the seat, while keeping its options open to go in for an alliance with anyone except Congress, SAD, and BJP.
Among the local issues, the political parties—especially the Congress and SAD-BJP combine—are set to make use of the Sikh sentiments, particularly with the entry of Bargari Morcha. While Congress party would make the most of the sacrilege and related firing cases during the regime of SAD-BJP blaming it for inept handling of the issue, the Bargari Morcha would also take on the ruling Congress for not punishing the guilty.
On the other hand, the Akalis are harping on the BJP-led Central Government’s decisions concerning Sikh community including opening of Kartarpur Sahib corridor, waiving of GST on langar items, convictions in the 1984 riots cases including that of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, among others, to woo the electors.
Even as the sitting MP Chandumajra credits himself for carrying out development works in the constituency and working for the constituents, but the same is not visible on the ground. He faced immense criticism for raising the issues of national and religious importance, but doing nothing for the constituency.
On the other hand, former Union Minister and Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP Ambika Soni has drawn accolades for nurturing the constituency like a baby, despite losing 2014 election to Chandumajra by 23,697 votes, since long.
Even as there are many aspirants in the Congress to contest ensuing parliamentary polls from Anandpur Sahib, none of them has challenged Soni’s supremacy. The ticket aspirants believed that Soni’s word would matter when it comes to taking decisions pertaining to Anandpur Sahib. During his tenure as the Union Minister for Culture in Congress-led UPA regime, Soni has reportedly invested a lot of funds in this constituency.
Soni’s son, Anup Soni, is among the contenders for the party ticket. Soni, considered close to UPA chief Sonia Gandhi, is hoping to launch her son into politics from Anandpur Sahib in the forthcoming elections. But, the ‘one family, one ticket or post’ rule may come in the way.
A section of party leaders have also proposed the name of former Union Minister Manish Tewari, who has sought the party ticket from Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat where the contest has turned tough with the Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s wife Dr Navjot Kaur and former Union Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal too staking their claims.
Besides, the sitting Kapurthala MLA and former Minister Rana Gurjit Singh, Chief Minister’s close aide Capt Sandeep Sandhu, former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal’s son-in-law Bikran Singh Bajwa, former Minister Jagmohan Singh Kang’s son Yadwinder Kang, Barnala’s former MLA Kewal Dhillon, among others are also in contention for the seat.
But, when the Congress’ national spokesperson and party chief Rahul Gandhi’s discovery—Jaiveer Shergiill— formally applied for the party ticket, it hot up the race.
A political greenhorn hailing from Jalandhar and a known ‘vocal’ face on television, 35-year-old Shergill has no experience of elections. He joined the Congress in 2011 after Rahul Gandhi spotted him in the national talent hunt for spokespersons.
On one hand where the kith and kin of senior leaders are applying for the party ticket, Shergill is defending his case by referring to Rahul Gandhi’s “vision of new India where people from non-political families can also enter politics”.
Among the other contenders are former minister Lala Bhagwan Das’ son Ramesh Goyal, Fatehgarh Sahib MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra and Urmar MLA Sangat Singh Gilzian.
AAP’s candidate in 2014 polls, advocate-turned-politician Himmat Singh Shergill, known for fighting the cases of Gujarat Sikh farmers in the Supreme Court, lost in a close fight against two stalwarts. In his first electoral husting, Shergill secured third position with over three lakh (28.14 percent) votes—an “unexpected” score that had virtually changed the political equations.
As Shergill is reportedly working as a part of legal team for AAP-led Delhi Government, he was replaced by another Shergill—a real aam aadmi working at the grassroot, knowing people in person, and a hard-worker. Moreover, being a local face, and having ample time against his rivals to carry out his poll campaign, may work in favour of Shergill and AAP.
CONSTITUENCY AT A GLANCE
The Sri Anandpur Sahib parliamentary seat came into existence as a part of the implementation of delimitation of parliamentary and assembly constituencies in 2008, witnessing its first Lok Sabha elections in 2009.
The constituency comprise nine Vidhan Sabha segments, out of which five are represented by the Congress party, against one by Akali Dal. AAP holds the fort in three segments — out of which, one MLA has turned rebel, and may extend support to the Khaira-led faction which is a part of the “grand-alliance”.
Comprising mainly of Kandi area, the lack of water for irrigation is the main issue of this segment, besides straying wild animals like blue bull and wild boar into the agriculture fields and damaging crops is another cause of concern for the voters.
Demographics:
A religiously significant seat, the constituency is spread across the Puadh area of Mohali-Ropar belt, and Kandi region covering the districts of Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, Ropar and SAS Nagar (Mohali) districts, falling in Malwa and Doaba belts.
A semi-urban seat, the constituency has majority of Sikh voters — more than 60 percent, against nearly 35 percent of Hindu voters.
LAST ELECTION
SAD candidate Prem Singh Chandumajra had defeated Congress’ senior leader and former Union Minister Ambika Soni by a margin of 23,697 votes in 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
Dubbed as the “serial-loser” for facing three back-to-back defeats, Chandumajra had broken his jinx in this constituency defeating Congress’ Soni by a miniscule vote share of 2.17 percent. Chandumajra had lost assembly polls from Lehra Gaga in 2007, parliamentary elections from Patiala in 2009, and Assembly elections from Fatehgarh Sahib in 2012.
Interestingly, the first-timer AAP candidate Himmat Singh Shergill managed over three lakh votes making it to the third place. Chandumajra got 3,47,394 (31.94 percent of the total votes polled), Soni got 3,23,697 votes (29.77 percent), while Shergill scored 3,06,008 (28.14 percent), lagging behind Soni with a difference of just around 17,000 votes.
PREVIOUS MPs
Sri Anandpur Sahib Lok Sabha constituency came into existence in 2008 as a part of the implementation of delimitation of parliamentary and assembly constituencies, thus it has witnessed just two general elections in 2009 and 2014. Thus, the two parliamentarians elected from this seat are:
* 2014:Prem Singh Chandumajra (SAD)
* 2009: Ravneet Singh Bittu (Congress)