Congressmen hurling brickbats at each other may help the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Dhuri by-elections on April 11. The week-long election campaigning for Dhuri by-poll, that came to an end on Thursday evening, has witnessed Akali Dal canvassing hard while the senior Congress leaders were seen indulging in show of their strength.
Even as the by-elections would barely affect the political equations in the State, the results in SAD’s favour may put them in a stronger position in coalition by ending their dependence on the alliance partners, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with which it is sharing weak ties. SAD, presently, has 58 legislators in 117-member state legislative assembly. By winning Dhuri by-poll, it would achieve majority with 59 seats. BJP, on the other hand, has 12 MlAs.
With dwindling share of its MlAs from 46 to now 43, the Congress is hoping for a win to boost the morale of the discouraged party cadre. The Congress party, it seems, has failed to cash in on the anti-Government wave in the State with the party leadership remaining pre-occupied in their battle for supremacy.
The SAD-BJP Government has, so far, failed to fulfill its any single promise on the basis of which it retained power throne in 2012 Assembly polls. Instead of putting up a united front, it remained a divided house — refusing to learn any lessons from its previous back-to-back defeats. The party lost 2012 state assembly polls, followed by three in bye-elections, and then in 2014 lok Sabha polls, with internal bickering emerging as one of the major reason for its poor show.
Its senior leadership, former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Partap Singh Bajwa, were more interested in defeating each other in the number-game of their supporters rather than the ruling alliance — leaving the field open for the Akali Dal.
As the Bajwa made an attempt to lead the party from the front, his bête noire Capt Amarinder once again used the stage to exhibit his strength.
The Patiala Royal campaigned in Dhuri just for two days, but did not forget to bring along his coterie including 35 MlAs, ex-MlAs, and others, to send across the clear message who calls the shot in the party.
With the two top leaders declaring an open war against each other, the situation, it appears, has made Dhuri ballot battle tough for Barnalas, whose young scion — Simar Partap Singh — is contesting on Congress election symbol. 27-year-old greenhorn, grandson of former Chief Minister Surjit Singh Barnala, is Congress-Sanjha Morcha’s joint candidate.
Despite Dhuri constituency traditionally being Congress stronghold, it is not on a firm footing. The party is now banking on the Barnala family, which holds some clout in the constituency as Simar’s father Gaganjit Singh Barnala had remained an MlA from here from 2002-07. Bajwa, on the contrary, was seen fighting a lonely battle with a few senior leaders, including former Sangrur MP Vijay Inder Singla, accompanying him.
The war within has reached such a height that the two leaders did not miss to mention the names of each and every leader, holding “any” position, who had kept company with them in their respective press notes. Taking advantage from the Congress’ infighting, SAD, in its campaign, has accused it of raising non-issues while ignoring the people’s issues, and being busy in its power struggle.
“The issues are simple as being the Congress seat, Dhuri has remained neglected in the matter of development and the Chief Minister embarked upon his Sangat Darshan programme only after the Congress MlA Arvind Khanna resigned his seat due to personal reasons and started announcing development grants in the villages,” said Bajwa.
He said: “Even during his election speeches, he had been referring to the grants given for development. At the same time, he is going around saying that the people should elect the Akali Dal candidate Gobind Singh longowal for better development…This is nothing but blackmail as he should behave as the Chief Minister of entire state and not just of the Akali Dal.”
Akali Dal, in contrast, has campaigned powerfully with its all cabinet ministers, senior leadership including Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy son Sukhbir Badal camping in Dhuri, leaving no stone unturned to reach the magical figure. The party has fielded its trusted soldier, Gobind Singh longowal — close aide of Sant Harchand Singh longowal — as its candidate.
Much ahead the declaration of dates for the by-election, Badal dole out funds on the Dhuri assembly segment in an apparent attempt to woo the voters. It is coupled with SAD president Sukhbir Badal’s election management skills. The Aam Aadmi Party’s decision to stay away from the polls has made it a direct contest between Barnala and longowal, even as total 12 candidates are in the battlefield.