As
the Punjab Assembly elections are around the corner, the political parties in
the state are leaving no stone unturned to woo voters. However, the politics of
Punjab at present is in deep chaos. Old ties stand broken. The ruling party is
witnessing high levels of infighting. Farmers, a major vote bank, are extremely
against the central government.
In this volatile environment, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is gearing up to shock BJP beyond belief.
The two parties have had an alliance in Punjab from the last 25 years, but SAD in September, 2020 declared to end the alliance in protest against the three Farm Laws and over Centre’s ‘stubborn’ refusal to give statutory legislative guarantees to protect assured marketing of farmers’ crops at the MSP.
The SAD then claimed that no matter what, they will never go against the farmers of their state. However, on ground, the leaders of the two parties i.e. BJP and SAD share a cordial bond, since the parties were acting as one in their coalition.
Recently, Former cabinet minister and BJP leader Anil Joshi criticized his own party leadership over the handling of farmer’s issues. He said that people sitting on top positions in the party had failed to realize the ground situation and this will affect the party’s presence in Punjab.
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“When we have lost municipal bodies elections in Punjab badly due to farmer’s protest, do you think they will even let us contest in assembly elections? If farmers have dug their heels at the Delhi border for the last six months, do you think they will stop the agitation all of a sudden? If you cannot put across the issue of those who have shown faith in you, do you still think that you can survive politics?”Joshi said.
The two-time former MLA from Amritsar, Anil Joshi alleged that BJP failed to understand the pain of farmers and it has to pay price for the situation.
He even issued an ultimatum that if party doesn't agrees to what the farmers want, he will then expose BJP in such a way that it would be near-impossible for the party to recover from the ensuing damage.
He recommended that senior leaders in BJP must show sincerity on the farmers’ issue if the party wants to remain alive in Punjab politics.
Sources in SAD informed that the BJP leaders in the state are looking to switch parties.
In Punjab, BJP contests on 23 seats, and as per information, SAD is arranging to have these BJP leaders on its party and thus contest all the seats on its own.
Sources further informed that SAD along with BJP leaders is eyeing on BSP candidates as the Dalit vote bank in Punjab is about 33%. With both BJP and BSP candidates on their side, the SAD will be in a viable position to take on Congress.
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The local leaders of BJP are facing two issues, a sort of existential crisis. The first is the intense dislike and wrath the BJP is accruing due to the farmer laws. The second is the shoddy COVID handling by the ruling party. Thus, it seems prudent on their part to abandon BJP and move to SAD.
SAD is sticking to its guns and has proclaimed that even if BJP takes back the farm laws, the damage is done and they will not go into alliance with them. SAD claims that it will contest Punjab on its own.