PRIME PLAYERS IN THE FRAY

CONGRESS Populism derailed by infighting

Adominant player in state politics for the past seven decades, the Congress, which won the 2017 assembly elections with a near two-thirds majority, has been looking to retain power. However, it is being severely hamstrung by the tug of war between CM Charanjit Singh Channi and its ambitious state Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu over the CM face. The party had changed the CM just five months before the elections, bringing in Channi as the first Dalit CM in place of Capt Amarinder Singh to ward off anti-incumbency and end the infighting. Though the new CM instantly set a scorching pace and took a slew of populist decisions, his efforts have been derailed by infighting. If it falls short, the party will have only itself to blame.

BJP High stakes after farm laws revoked

Considered to be an anathema due to the farm unrest over the three controversial laws, the stakes are high for the BJP in Punjab after revocation. This is for the first time since 1996, that the party will contest elections without its erstwhile ally SAD that parted ways with the saffron party over the farm laws last year. The BJP has shown its might after revocation of the farm laws by ensuring the joining of Sikh leaders from other parties, including two sitting Congress MLAS. The party has forged an alliance with Capt Amarinder Singh’s newly formed Punjab Lok Congress and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa’s SAD (Sanyukt). The party is hopeful of getting a strong response in the Hindu-dominated urban and semi-urban belts.

AAP Banking on ‘ek mauka’

Born out of an anti-corruption movement in 2012, Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP made its first impression on the electoral landscape of Punjab in 2014 by winning four Lok Sabha seats, out of the 432 it contested, in the state with 25% vote share. After disturbing the bipolar polity, it emerged as the principal opposition in the 2017 elections with 20 seats, pushing the SAD to the number three position. However, the newbie outfit was rocked by infighting and desertions when half of its MLAS rebelled against the central leadership in 2019 to free the party from the Delhi leadership’s control. The AAP is now getting its act together with Kejriwal leading the party’s campaign and seeking ek mauka (one chance). with his trademark freebie strategy.

SAD Fighting to stay afloat

For the first time in the electoral history of Punjab, the SAD is contesting the state polls in alliance with the BSP and has given the Mayawati-led party 20 seats, while it is contesting on the remaining 97. The SAD had severed ties with the BJP, its ally of more than two decades, over the issue of the now repealed three farm laws. Fighting to stay afloat after having touched the ebb post the sacrilege incidents of 2015 when it was running the government in the state along with the saffron party, the SAD has made an early start this time and has announced its candidates on 93 seats. Its president Sukhbir Singh Badal is campaigning hard to win over the support of the electorate. Unlike the past elections, the SAD is focusing on the urban electorate this time.

Punjab Lok Congress Playing spoilsport for Congress

Formed by Captain Amarinder Singh in November 2021 after he parted ways with the Congress following his unceremonious removal as Punjab chief minister, the Punjab Lok Congress, is yet to

create a pan-punjab presence.

But the way Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, especially Union home minister Amit Shah, has reposed faith in Capt Amarinder singh, it can play spoilsport for the Congress as most of the leaders who have joined the PLC have a Congress background.