Making the victory count

Victory in most of the municipal bodies that went to the polls in Punjab would come as a huge relief for the Shiromani Akali Dal and coalition partner BJP. What's surprising is the Congress tucking itself into a tiny corner and the challenge posed by Independents, mainly Akali rebels. There is an argument that resists labelling civic elections as the true barometer of a government's popularity. The issues are local, the ruling dispensation is mostly favoured for practical reasons, and the electorate is too small to map the mood of the entire state. That said, credit has to go where it is due. The gloom has lifted for SAD, which has been facing a tough time in what it believed would be its ‘achhe din’. The BJP can manage a smile or two despite problems with its ally and the credibility crisis which even the Modi wave could not overcome last year.

The Congress would be at a complete loss for words. When the leaders are engaged in an endless power tussle, the candidates are unwilling to fight on the party symbol and the principal Opposition fields nominees in just 55 per cent of the wards, there is little left to say. A lot is being said, on the other hand, about how the ground is now ready for the Aam Aadmi Party to pitch its tent and unleash the Delhi strategy. The dismal showing of the People's Party of Punjab and the BSP's downfall only add to the encore.

The message in the verdict is clear that SAD remains the key player, but the rebels’ performance also shows how it has managed to lower the public’s expectation level. The win offers it a chance at urban renewal, as it does for the BJP. The two would do well not to fritter it away in a consolidation contest. The Congress is left with few choices, and each begins and ends with showing a united face. The floor, as it is, seems open for AAP, considering the number of Independents who won.