Despite its vigorous anti-corruption campaign to end Badals’ hegemony and its passionate call for a revolution, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) failed to make its mark in Punjab Assembly. The party was limited to 20 seats in the 117-seat state Assembly.
Since the reorganisation of the state in 1966, both the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Congress have been wresting power in Punjab alternatively. For the first time, a new player, AAP, had challenged the traditional rivals.
In contrast to its nation-wide decline, however, Congress converted a nip-and-tuck tussle with AAP into a runway success with a massive victory on 78 seats. Party’s chief ministerial candidate Captain Amarinder Singh staked his claim to power after facing defeat in the last two Assembly elections.
Driven by a soaring ambition to expand the party’s national footprint, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal had to be satisfied with only 20 seats. Party’s star MP Bhagwant Mann, who was locked in a battle with Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal, lost the seat from Jalalabad, and so did state party Convener Gurpreet Singh Waraich from Batala.
“AAP peaked early, but then it blundered. The party that was floated just four years ago and was led by a non-Punjabi needed stronger organisational support. But AAP expelled Convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur, then shunted out two of its MPs followed by district leaders, weakening its base,” political analyst Professor Ashutosh Kumar said.
Experts further highlighted that the party’s apparent proximity to Sikh extremist groups proved detrimental. The bomb blast in Maur, Bathinda, took place just a few days after Kejriwal stayed at Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) member Gurwinder Singh’s house. This was successfully used as a political opportunity by Congress and Akali Dal to raise concerns over the rise of militancy in the troubled state. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also stepped up the offensive against Kejriwal for taking support from Sikh extremist groups.
The decision to get support from NRIs also did not pay any rich dividends. “Punjab has been ravaged by militancy in the past and people are wary of its return. AAP brought uncertainty, while Congress, under Captain Amarinder, promised continuity, if not change,” Professor Kumar said.
Unlike AAP, which remained indecisive of its CM face, Congress steered clear of any controversy and announced Captain Singh as the CM candidate in a massive rally. It was more about ‘Captain di sarkar’ than about Congress, which was fighting for revival.
“Congress not only retained it core base, but also made in-roads into Panthic votes, despite carrying the burden of a history of being anti-Sikh. Strategically, the entire campaign was built around Captain Singh, and his announcement as the CM candidate boosted the campaign, as significant Jatt Sikh vote turned to party,” Congress General Secretary Amarjit Singh said. Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Siddhu further enthused the campaign.
Reeling under debts and hit by farmer suicides, Malwa, which had begun to be known as the stronghold of AAP, showed only marginal presence of the party. The party was confident of winning over 50 seats in the region. Congress swept the other two regions -- Majha and Doaba.
AAP’s offensive against Captain Singh for allegedly colluding with Badals and shielding the leaders suspected to be involved in drug trade also did not yield results. Instead, it was for the first time, analysts said, "that traditional Akali vote went to Congress."
The new entrant, however, succeeded in dethroning SAD-BJP to debut in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha as the main Opposition party and reducing SAD’s vote share to 25.3 per cent. SAD won 15 seats and three were won by its alliance partner, BJP.
Saddled by anti-incumbency, SAD’s prospects were also marred by its decision to get support from Dera Sacha Sauda, which severed its support from core rural Sikh voters. Only six of SAD leaders, including CM Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal, and Bikram Singh Majithia managed to secure their seats, while 12 others lost.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Arvind Kejriwal")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}