Parties set to turn Rakhar Punia mela into battlefield

Just about a year before the Assembly polls in Punjab, the political parties are coming with their report cards during their political conferences organised on Rakhar Punia mela at Baba Bakala on Saturday.Playing a proactive role for past few years, Congress is expected to talk about the campaigns it launched against the ruling combine on the issues related with the farmers, State’s youth, law and order, among others, while the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is banking on its “achievements” on the development and social welfare fronts. 

Expected to present a third front, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) may find itself fighting among themselves after the party was divided into two factions. 

Besides the party’s official rally, its “volunteers” have also organised a parallel show, to be represented by AAP’s expelled leader Dr Daljit Singh, who contested 2014 lok Sabha polls from Amritsar lok Sabha constituency against former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and BJP stalwart Arun Jaitley. 

On the occasion of Rakhar Punia, all political parties in Punjab organize their conferences at the congregation to drive home the point among the masses. 

With Punjab staring at elections, scheduled to be held in early 2017, and all major political parties gearing up for the same, the Rakhar Punia political conference would hold great significance which would provide platform to all to sound the polls bugle. 

SAD’s conference will be attended by entire party leadership, including Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. As Deputy Chief Minister and SAD president Sukhbir Badal is away on investment tour to South Korea, Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia, along with Animal Husbandry Minister Gular Singh Ranike, and lok Sabha MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura are expected to participate. 

Congress’ conference would be presided over by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Partap Singh Bajwa, with former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, and party’s national secretary in-charge Harish Chaurdhary expected to attend. 

After his “homecoming” a few days back into the Congress, former MP Jagmeet Brar is also expected to participate in the party’s political rally. It has been learnt that Brar has also urged his supporters to turn up in huge numbers to make the rally a success, and to display his strength. 

Even as the Congress and SAD are expected to exchange barbs against each other and to showcase their works, the AAP is expected to make the contest a triangular one. 

In a State which has always witnessed a bipolar politics between SAD-BJP and the Congress since long, AAP, after its emergence in 2014 general elections in Punjab, is expected to add third dimension to the contest. 

However, the party is on the verge of a split. Its three out of four MPs have opened front against the party leadership, and are openly criticising them. To check discipline within the party, the AAP has also shown door to some of its leaders which has further created dissension within the party. 

The party, during Rakhar Punia congregation, is expected to face a peculiar situation with a large number of its “volunteers” organising a parallel rally to the AAP’s official rally, which is scheduled to be attended by party’s national leaders including Kumar Vishwas, and party’s affairs in-charge Sanjay Singh. 

Besides, AAP’s state convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur, Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann and senior advocate HS phoolka will also be present. What is more, the volunteers’ rally is likely to be attended by Patiala MP Dharam Vira Gandhi, Fatehgarh Sahib MP Harinder Singh Khalsa, besides Dr Daljit Singh.