Churning in Panjab Continues in the Election Season

In Panjab, AAP suffers anti-incumbency, SAD is in disarray, BJP does not have much of a foothold, and INC was poised to benefit in the general elections. However, INC remains enmeshed in infighting, squandering its chances. INC has fielded sitting MP Manish Tewari from Chandigarh, who won from Anandpur Sahib in 2019, and from Ludhiana in 2009. In Chandigarh, four-time INC winner from the constituency Pawan Kumar Bansal was also in the reckoning. Several INC block level leaders and office bearers, including president of Chandigarh Mahila Congress Deipa Dubey, have resigned though they have stated their resignation is from the posts and not from the INC. Similarly, in Sangrur, INC has fielded Sukhpal Singh Khaira. On 16 Apr, former Dhuri MLA Dalvir Singh Goldy expressed his displeasure in public over denial of the party ticket. He said leaders whom the party rewarded with tickets in the past later jumped ship and those who have remained loyal were being denied the ticket. SAD also displeased senior leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa who recently returned to the party by denying his son, former finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, the seat and nominating Iqbal Singh Jhunda (SDW Vol. 2 Issue 11, Story 6). BJP too has denied ticket to senior leader Vijay Sampla, chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Caste from Hoshiarpur. Meanwhile AAP candidates who used to be high on transparency are now uncomfortable facing the camera. During his campaign at a Bathinda village, Gurmeet Singh Khuddian was annoyed as cameras focused on him and asked those assembled not to record his interaction with the voters. In Amritsar, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal wanted cameras off as a voter posed a difficult question.