Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is cashing on the resentment amidst the Congress cadre. In a double-pronged attack, the blue-brigade is strengthening its party base by bringing in its fold Congress leaders not too happy with their role and position in the party.
After recently inducting senior Congress leader Ajit Singh Shant in the party fold, Akali Dal on Thursday made another big grab at Punjab Congress. Its former MlA and senior leader Ravinder Singh Sandhu ‘Babbal’ has shifted loyalties towards the Akali Dal along with his supporters.
The simmering discontentment within Congress, from the time it lost 2012 state assembly polls, seems to have reached its flash point with an exodus of sorts continued towards the ruling alliance even after the change of guard. In fact, SAD is taking advantage of disgruntled leaders within the party.
As the mass departure from Congress was earlier seen as failure of the then party chief Capt Amarinder Singh to keep its flock together who was busy in saving his own position, the protraction of the same is indicating at the possible troubles ahead for the new party president Partap Singh Bajwa.
The deviation from the party is continuing at a time when the Congress is making attempts to consolidate its position in the state by holding statewide mass contact programmes, galvanizing grass-root level, adopting aggressive attitude against ruling combine, and exploring possibilities of alliance with “like minded”, secular parties. The development assumes significance as countdown to 2014 Parliamentary polls has already begun.
Ever since the SAD-BJP coalition’s record victory during 2012 polls, in all, approximately 20 senior political leaders besides many others have joined the SAD bandwagon.
Amongst the Congress’s turncoats are sitting Moga legislator Joginder Pal Jain, close aide of Union Minister for State of External Affairs Preneet Kaur Deepinder Singh Dhillon, a former Congress cabinet minister Harbans lal, former Congress legislator Mangat Rai Bansal, among many others. Many of them have been rewarded with plum postings.
Two-time MlA Babbal had turned rebel and went on to unsuccessfully contesting 2012 state assembly polls as an independent candidate, after Congress declined to field him as the party candidate in favour of first timer Parminder Singh ‘Pinky’ — the sitting Ferozepur legislator.
Babbal was among 11 leaders who were expelled from the party ahead 2012 polls, for protesting against party’s decision to select the candidates, by the then state party president Capt Amarinder Singh.
That was not for the first time Babbal had faced expulsion from Congress. In 1992, he was sacked when he contested as an independent during Beant Singh’s regime. However, his expulsion was later revoked. On the day Shant joined hands with the SAD, Sukhbir had hinted that another “surprise” is on its way from the Congress.
“Congress leaders have understood that it is only SAD-BJP that understands aspirations of grass root workers. Congressmen are getting fed up of inaccessibility of their leadership that remained confined to five-star hotels, while the doors of chief minister, SAD president remains open to every worker for 24 hours and given due regard by the party,” said Sukhbir.