JALANDHAR: Uncertainty in Punjab’s politics can be gauged from how the perception around AAP and BJP has changed over the week after January 5. The two parties were gaining in the perception battle and throwing challenges at others till exactly a week ago, but now they both are faced by a fresh set of challenges.
If BJP’s election machine appears to have lost steam after the January 5 fiasco in which PM Modi had to cancel his rally in Ferozepur, AAP is now battling a rift in the party. The BJP was expecting the January 5 rally to give a momentum to its poll campaign. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was going to address it, but his visit was cancelled after an alleged security breach. As the PM could not reach the rally and it led to a huge controversy, Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi managed to turn the attack on the PM and sought to use the controversy to the advantage of the Congress by taking digs at the supposed poor turnout at the rally.
BJP is now working on putting its campaign back on track by inducting more leaders on Tuesday. Barring former MLA Arvind Khanna, rest of the new members do not have much political heft.
A week ago, AAP was questioning other political parties and there was regular trickling out of information that the party was in talks with farm groups who had formed Sanyukt Samaj Morcha for an alliance. The alliance could have created trouble for Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal. Though none of the sides confirmed the details at time, neither denied it also.
While talks have ended, SSM leader Balbir Singh Rajewal has attacked AAP with serious allegations and has revealed that he questioned the AAP leadership about selecting candidates with questionable antecedents. Other farm groups and their supporters have also attacked AAP. In case SSM gains in perception battle, it can harm the prospects of AAP, as they largely share the support base. Following the attacks from SSM and latter making it clear that it would not have any truck with any party, disgruntled leaders and workers of AAP have also started rebelling. Allegations by party insiders about selection of candidate are now flying thick and fast.
AAP’s implosion started in Jalandhar on January 7, when its Punjab co-incharge Raghav Chadha faced opposition, questions and allegations in Jalandhar, apart from a scuffle between old workers and supporters of a new entrant. Now, trouble is spreading to other areas. A group of old leaders and workers also held a press conference in Chandigarh on Monday, questioning tickets given to turncoats. After putting others in the dock in the last few months, now AAP itself appears at the receiving end of serious questions.
All eyes on Kejriwal’s ‘important issue’ today
All eyes will be on AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal’s media briefing in Mohali on Wednesday, whether he announces the chief ministerial face of the party for the Punjab assembly elections. According to the party, Kejriwal will address the media “on an important issue” on January 12, at noon at Grand Ballroom, Mohali Club. There have been indications that the party may finally announce its Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann as the chief ministerial candidate. Kejriwal had earlier said that the party will name a Sikh leader as its CM face. Kejriwal has been making frequent visits to the state to announce ‘guarantees’ to voters ahead of the elections.
Chadha to sue Jain
AAP Punjab affairs co-in-charge Raghav Chadha will file a criminal defamation case against Saurabh Jain from Patiala. In a statement issued by the Chadha’s advocate, all allegations made by Jain in the press conference are “false and baseless”. According to the statement, allegations made by Jain about corruption and money being involved for election tickets are false and part of some preconcerted campaign to malign the unblemished reputation of Chadha. Raghav Chadha also claimed that his party was not behind the printing and distribution of a controversial pamphlet asking voters to take money from any political party or leader but cast their vote for AAP. The pamphlets, written in Punjab, did not have the name of a printer, but the Patiala district administration had last week issued a notice to AAP. The notice came after objections were raised by SAD.
If BJP’s election machine appears to have lost steam after the January 5 fiasco in which PM Modi had to cancel his rally in Ferozepur, AAP is now battling a rift in the party. The BJP was expecting the January 5 rally to give a momentum to its poll campaign. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was going to address it, but his visit was cancelled after an alleged security breach. As the PM could not reach the rally and it led to a huge controversy, Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi managed to turn the attack on the PM and sought to use the controversy to the advantage of the Congress by taking digs at the supposed poor turnout at the rally.
BJP is now working on putting its campaign back on track by inducting more leaders on Tuesday. Barring former MLA Arvind Khanna, rest of the new members do not have much political heft.
A week ago, AAP was questioning other political parties and there was regular trickling out of information that the party was in talks with farm groups who had formed Sanyukt Samaj Morcha for an alliance. The alliance could have created trouble for Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal. Though none of the sides confirmed the details at time, neither denied it also.
While talks have ended, SSM leader Balbir Singh Rajewal has attacked AAP with serious allegations and has revealed that he questioned the AAP leadership about selecting candidates with questionable antecedents. Other farm groups and their supporters have also attacked AAP. In case SSM gains in perception battle, it can harm the prospects of AAP, as they largely share the support base. Following the attacks from SSM and latter making it clear that it would not have any truck with any party, disgruntled leaders and workers of AAP have also started rebelling. Allegations by party insiders about selection of candidate are now flying thick and fast.
AAP’s implosion started in Jalandhar on January 7, when its Punjab co-incharge Raghav Chadha faced opposition, questions and allegations in Jalandhar, apart from a scuffle between old workers and supporters of a new entrant. Now, trouble is spreading to other areas. A group of old leaders and workers also held a press conference in Chandigarh on Monday, questioning tickets given to turncoats. After putting others in the dock in the last few months, now AAP itself appears at the receiving end of serious questions.
All eyes on Kejriwal’s ‘important issue’ today
All eyes will be on AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal’s media briefing in Mohali on Wednesday, whether he announces the chief ministerial face of the party for the Punjab assembly elections. According to the party, Kejriwal will address the media “on an important issue” on January 12, at noon at Grand Ballroom, Mohali Club. There have been indications that the party may finally announce its Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann as the chief ministerial candidate. Kejriwal had earlier said that the party will name a Sikh leader as its CM face. Kejriwal has been making frequent visits to the state to announce ‘guarantees’ to voters ahead of the elections.
Chadha to sue Jain
AAP Punjab affairs co-in-charge Raghav Chadha will file a criminal defamation case against Saurabh Jain from Patiala. In a statement issued by the Chadha’s advocate, all allegations made by Jain in the press conference are “false and baseless”. According to the statement, allegations made by Jain about corruption and money being involved for election tickets are false and part of some preconcerted campaign to malign the unblemished reputation of Chadha. Raghav Chadha also claimed that his party was not behind the printing and distribution of a controversial pamphlet asking voters to take money from any political party or leader but cast their vote for AAP. The pamphlets, written in Punjab, did not have the name of a printer, but the Patiala district administration had last week issued a notice to AAP. The notice came after objections were raised by SAD.
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