Party lines are blurring even as the battle lines have deepened with the announcement of war for votes in Punjab. Election time is turning out to be a party-hopping season for the politicians, with even the candidates crossing over to the other side of the political borders to join erstwhile foes even after the announcement of their candidature.
In a first-ever such incident in the recallable past, Aam Aadmi Party’s candidate from Ferozepur rural assembly segment Ashu Banger resigned from the party on Monday morning citing “humiliation” and “pressure”, and joined the Congress in the evening. So much so that Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi announced to field Banger from Ferozepur Rural seat, from where the party has sitting MLA Satkar Kaur.
Now Banger, who has been seeking votes in the name of AAP till a day before, will now be wooing the electorates as Congress candidate.
Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi described it as a major “boost to the Congress party”. “Punjab needs such courageous and true-hearted youngsters, who want to work for the betterment of Punjab and quit the party even after being announced as AAP candidate,” he added.
That was not all! With Punjab set to witness a multi-cornered contest this time in the wake of changing political equations and the emergence of new outfits on the state’s electoral scene, the movement of politicians hopping from one party to another, in search of greener pastures, has become normal.
Ever since the elections were announced and parties started declaring their candidates, the incidents of party hopping and crossovers are unfolding almost every day — leaving even the electorates puzzled.
The ‘Ayaa Raam Gaya Raam’ syndrome appears to have afflicted the poll process with its full impact in Punjab with candidates indulging in multiple hoppings even in a single day looking for the “better deal”.
And the political parties are even rewarding the turncoats by allotting them tickets. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is running its turbocharged campaign confident of forming the government, has fielded about 56 such candidates who have switched their loyalties towards AAP from other parties. Congress too, in its list of 86 candidates, has fielded three such leaders.
On Monday alone, AAP’s Ferozepur rural candidate Ashu Banger joined Congress. Patiala’s former Mayor Vishnu Sharma, who had joined the Akali Dal owing to differences with the former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, also returned to the Congress fold on Monday, and is likely to contest from Patiala urban seat.
Former minister and five-time SAD MLA Sarwan Singh Phillaur, who had joined Congress ahead of 2017 elections, joined SAD (Sanyukt) — an ally of the BJP, along with his son. BJP’s another ally, Capt Amarinder Singh led Punjab Lok Congress also scored on Monday with the induction of senior Congress leader and two-time MLA from Garhshankar Luv Kumar Goldy, along with hundreds of his supporters including sarpanches, members of municipal council and block samitis, in the party.
As of now, more than three MLAs from the ruling Congress — Fatehjung Bajwa, Harjot Kamal, and former Minister Rana Gurmeet Singh — gave up “hand” to hold the “lotus”. Kamal joined BJP after his seat was given to Bollywood actor Sonu Sood’s sister Malvika just weeks ahead of the state elections; while Fatehjung joined apprehending denial of ticket from his seat with his brother and senior Congressmen Partap Singh Bajwa set for a comeback in state politics.
In the “here today, gone tomorrow” act, another Congress MLA Balwinder Singh Laddi switched loyalties to BJP and returned to the Congress within just six days with the assurance of party ticket. However, the Congress allotted the ticket to a low-profile party leader and village sarpanch Mandeep Singh Rangar Nangal from his seat — Sri Hargobindpur.
Congress’ prominent Dalit face and former minister Joginder Singh Mann also joined AAP ending a 50-year association with the grand old party.