Congress turmoil continues in Punjab

The Congress crisis in Punjab does not seem to end, largely because the high command has failed to comprehend the various dimensions of the developments that could have wide ranging ramifications on the outcome of the Assembly elections next year.
As stated earlier, it is not merely a confrontation between Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and dissident leader and former cricketer, Navjot Singh Sidhu, but a succession war that is on in full swing. Ironically, the Congress is the only party in the state that can contest all the 117 seats and has a leader, whose stature is unmatched. Yet the situation is such that the party and its leadership are fast losing the perception battle.
A game of deception is playing out in the border state, which is experiencing a social unrest that could very well turn into political unrest as the days progress. The farmers’ agitation, which has not been in the headlines for a long time is certainly going to impact the poll process and political parties and players who fail to factor in this aspect, would be doing so to their own disadvantage.
Within the Congress, there is panic because there is uncertainty all around. Amarinder had in 2017 made certain promises and commitments that could go against him as well as the party. For instance, he had promised to take action against those responsible for the sacrilege incidents as well as against the drug mafia. That has not happened so far and since he had sworn on the holy scriptures, the issue has religious connotations also.
In 2017, before he was made the face of the campaign, he had told the high command that this was going to be his last election and after the fourth year, he would help in picking his successor. However, he changed his mind and decided to continue in his position. Practically speaking, it is good for the party that it has a leader of his calibre, but there are people around him who are getting restless.
The interim Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, has asked both, the Captain and his chief detractor, Sidhu to be in the capital next week to meet the three-member panel appointed by her to resolve the matter. While Sidhu has been insisting on becoming the PCC chief, the Captain has rejected this outright and is willing to accommodate him and two others as Deputy Chief Ministers in his Cabinet.
This insistence by Sidhu is something that has not gone well with other critics of the Chief Minister, who feel that on the issue of PCC presidentship, they would rather side with the CM than with the former cricketer. There have been reports that the Chief Minister has been reaching out to some of his opponents within the party and was trying to appease them. He has lately allowed the sons of some MLAs to be directly recruited in the police on compassionate grounds, a move that has evoked criticism as well as surprise.
Media reports suggested that he had a meeting with senior Congress leader, Pratap Singh Bajwa which the latter has denied vehemently at a press conference on Friday. The buzz in Chandigarh political circles is that a meeting of some leaders did take place at the residence of the Chief Minister’s sister where the Patiala MP and Captain’s wife, Parneet Kaur, was also present but there has been no confirmation from any quarters.
The Congress is worried that the Akali Dal-BSP tie-up in the state could help the Akalis revive themselves. This is all in the realm of speculation since many political observers of Punjab are convinced that there is an anti-Badal sentiment in Punjab in the same way as it exists for the Gandhis in the rest of the country. Therefore, most of the seats that the BSP would contest, shall, go to the other parties. Incidentally, before the Akalis and the BJP had joined hands, the Akalis had an understanding with the BSP till the mid-1990s.
Congress supporters expect that the only way forward for the Chief Minister at this juncture was to initiate action against the Badals for both the sacrilege matter as well for the drugs case. The perception is that the CM has been soft on his adversaries and has in fact a secret understanding with them. If he were to take action, at least this impression would be erased and could help the party revive itself. On his part, the CM’s followers say that the court was seized of the sacrilege issue and had rejected the findings of the SIT. The law has to take its own course.
The BJP, which had helped the Akalis to come to power both in 2007 and 2012, is on the defensive. The farm laws have led to social boycott of its leaders and activists. It shall have to think out of the box if it has to once again become a factor in the state, or at least in the 23 Hindu dominated seats of the Assembly.
The AAP hopes to benefit from what is happening to the major and recognized political parties of the state, though it is equally concerned that like it had surprised many in 2014 Lok Sabha elections by winning Parliament seats, a new regional outfit could emerge and surprise everyone.
Overall, it is in the interest of the Congress to resolve its differences amicably. Otherwise, it has a lot to lose. Between us.