Several in the fray for Sarpanch’s post but fight narrows down to two main groups
Contrary to expectations of a three-cornered contest in the panchayat elections, mainly two groups have emerged in most villages of the region with differences on the basis of different political parties getting blurred. In the history of panchayat elections, most villages used to be divided into two groups. The Akali Dal and Congress led these groups for decades. With the emergence of Aam Aadmi Party on the political scene, it was expected that a triangular fight would take place. The AAP successfully constituted new groups at the village level and with the support of sitting MLAs, the contestants associated with AAP are in the fight. However, the emergence of a new group saw no previous group getting eliminated from the ground. Influential individuals, families and groups associated with the Congress and SAD still hold their own in the villages.
After the announcement of elections, activists associated with political parties staked their claim to fight elections and four to five candidates are contesting for the post of Sarpanch in several villages. But in the end, difference on the basis of political parties gets diluted in most villages and the fight narrows down to two main groups, led by traditional political families.
Bachan Singh of Wadala village said, “All the political parties are active in our village but the contest is between two groups. The village is reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates but one group led by an elite political family of the village is not only supporting the SC candidate but contesting on his behalf. All the rival groups of that family formed an alliance and fought against them. Political ideologies and parties got marginalised in this contest.”
“The villages were divided into two groups over bloodline and personal alliance. The influential families strongly hold their ground. Yes, political parties are there but people choose one of the two rival groups, organised traditionally in the villages,” said Kuljeet Singh, a political expert.
