All the major political parties in Punjab are facing the problem of “keeping everyone happy” in the ticket distribution exercise and a rebellions of sorts has broken out.
The element of dissidence is not confined to any one party, as was the case during 2012 Assembly polls, that cost the Congress back-to-back defeat. But, the dissident leaders can be found in all the mainstream parties — Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — who have either declared their candidature against the party’s official candidate, or shifted their loyalties to other party, or are maintaining a strategic silence.
While the parties managed to nip some of the ‘rebellious’ leaders in the bud, they are finding it tough to come to terms with some. With just a day left for withdrawal of nominations, the party’s are making last ditch effort to convince them.
Congress, all along been under criticism for its failure to conciliate its rebels and keeping its flock together that led to party’s defeat in 2012 State Assembly polls, is currently facing an uphill task of winning over its senior leader Sukhwinder Singh Danny, party’s candidate in 2009 lok Sabha polls.
Danny, creating a confusion of sorts, has filed his nomination papers as a candidate of “Indian National Congress”, while the party has declared the name of sitting Kotkapura MlA Joginder Singh Panjgrain as its “official” candidate and had already filed his papers before Danny.
Danny lost to Akali candidate Paramjit Kaur Gulshan in 2009 polls by 62,042 votes. Unhappy over party’s decision to give him another chance, he went on to file his papers as Congress candidate claiming that party high command has directed him. He has also asked the State party chief Partap Singh Bajwa to reconsider the entire situation and withdraw Panjgrain’s candidature considering charges of drug smuggling against him.
Situation is no different for the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Faridkot constituency. Troubles pour in for sitting MP and SAD-BJP combine candidate Parmajit Kaur Gulshan as SAD’s three-time Dharamkot MlA Sheetal Singh has jumped the electoral battlefield as an independent candidate.
Son-in-law of former Agriculture Minister Gurdev Singh Badal, Sheetal has categorically “refused” to withdraw his nomination papers. Gulshan’s competitor for the party ticket, a Congressman-turned-Akali Ajit Singh Shant, former Congress MlA, has also raised the banner of revolt against re-nominating Gulshan from Faridkot.
Shant, who had deserted Congress and joined SAD about seven months ago, had claimed that SAD chief Sukhbir Badal had promised to give ticket when he had joined the party. later, with his managerial tactics, Sukhbir managed to pacify Shant.
Things do not end here for the Congress. Party’s candidate from Fatehgarh Sahib Sadhu Singh Dharamsot is also facing a tough time as a result of dissidence in the constituency over his candidature.
After the Congress decided to lay its bet on Dharamsot — a Bazigar community member, over other frontrunners, including sitting MP Sukhdev Singh libra, a banner of revolt has been raised within the party. As libra has already gave up “hand” to hold the “scale” in protest against denial of ticket, another contender and former State party unit chief Shamsher Singh Dullo is also turning into rebel.
On one hand where Dullo is in touch with the SAD, he is also in the process of striking a deal with the Congress high command to secure a “respectable” position for him in the party.
Problems don’t end here for the Congress as the sitting MP and party’s candidate from Sangrur Vijay Inder Singla is not getting the complete support of party’s three MlAs in the constituency.
The factionalism within the party is making things difficult for Singla who is apparently working without Congress leaders’ support, and with the support of party’s newfound allies — the People’s Party of Punjab and SAD (longowal).
Though former Chief Minister and lehragaga MlA Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, and Bhadaur MlA Mohammad Sadique have started campaign for Singla, Dhuri MlA Arvind Khanna, Barnala MlA Kewal Singh Dhillon and Mehal Kalan MlA Harchand Kaur are yet to participate.
Trouble is also brewing up for the saffron party in Punjab. While party’s lone MP from the State Navjot Singh Sidhu has made it clear that he won’t campaign in Punjab even for his ‘political mentor’
Arun Jaitley who has replaced him, Mumbai-based businessman and ticket aspirant from Gurdaspur Swarn Salaria has publicly expressed opposition to party’s decision to field four-time MP Vinod Khanna.
However, the BJP has succeeded in mollifying Salaria, who had earlier decided to contest from Gurdaspur as an independent. He now says, he would campaign for Narendra Modi and not Khanna.