Facing attack from all sides, the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has embarked upon a strategy for consolidating its base not just in rural, but also semi-urban areas.
For the purpose, the party has decided to form committees at the rural and block level across the State. Besides, the party would also hold constituency-wise rallies in the State.
The decisions were taken in the meetings, held on late Thursday night and Friday morning, of the party’s core committee and with wing in-charges and district chiefs.
Sources informed The Pioneer that the growing popularity of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the State despite strong infighting coupled with massive response to the senior Congress leader Capt Amarinder Singh’s rallies have sent alarm bells ringing in the Akali camp.
The party believed that while AAP has been able to strike a cord with the rural masses of the state, considered to be Akali Dal’s stronghold Capt Amarinder, on the other hand, has also come out of his comfort zone not only to take on the ruling SAD-BJP alliance, but also to prove his might within the party and to the party high command.
Party president and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal has instructed the district unit presidents and in-charges of party’s various wings to “consolidate” the party base, especially in the semi-urban and rural areas. They have been asked to form committees at the rural and block levels in their respective areas, comprising 11 or 21 members, for strengthening the party base.
At the same time, Sukhbir also cautioned the leaders that indiscipline in the party at any level would not be tolerated and the erring party workers or leaders would be taken to task.
It was also decided that the achievements of SAD-BJP government would be highlighted among the public across the state to woo them in its favour in view of the next assembly elections, scheduled to be held in 2017. For the same, the Akali Dal would hold a series of rallies, alike that of AAP and Capt Amarinder’s. The rallies are expected to be organized in all assembly segments after harvesting of the paddy crop is over.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy son Sukhbir are expected to address these series of party’s rallies.
Available information suggests that SAD has swung into action seeing the opposition parties — AAP and Congress — already getting into poll mode mobilize voters by organizing rallies across the state.
“Even though we managed to defy the anti-incumbency in the state against us during the previous assembly polls considering that the anti-incumbency at the national level against the Congress was stronger. Now, in state and at the Centre, we have our governments and chances of anti-incumbency against us are more,” said a senior Akali leader.
The leader maintained that some other issues have also gone out of the hand of the ruling alliance, including the farming crisis, drug issue, despite all the possible effort by the state government.
“There is a strong resentment among the farming community of the state, and the Congress and AAP has been trying to cash in on the same first due to delay in wheat procurement, and now because of white fly….But, our government has done so much for the farmers, and would ensure that all their issues be resolved,” the leader added.
It has been learnt that some Akali leaders, during the core committee meeting, expressed their concerns regarding the declining party base in the farming sections of state’s Malwa belt due to government’s failure to help farmers against white fly attack on cotton crop.