Looking to make a mark, may play spoiler

Vishav Bharti

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 28

In the past decade, a number of attempts to replace the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) with a ‘genuine’ regional party have proved futile, creating but a temporary flutter. Be it People’s Party of Punjab, Aam Aadmi Party or Lok Insaaf Party, all have miserably failed to dislodge the mighty SAD.

In the poll race this time are the Punjab Ekta Party (PEP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali), both of which claim to be the real representatives of Punjabis.The PEP came into being only last year after seven MLAs led by Sukhpal Khaira parted ways with AAP. Likewise, a faction of Majha leaders revolted against the leadership of Sukhbir Badal and Bikram Majithia and formed the SAD (Taksali).

The Taksalis are led by Member of Parliament RS Brahampura and former ministers Sewa Singh Sekhwan and Ratan Singh Ajnala. Their influence is limited to the Majha belt. It initially seemed that the seven AAP MLAs from different parts of the state who revolted against the party’s Delhi leadership would emerge as an alternative to the SAD. Soon, it was all too clear that this would not happen. 

One by one, these MLAs began deserting Khaira — some returned to the parent party, others turned silent. AAP MLA from Mansa Nazar Singh Manshahia recently switched over to the Congress, dealing another body blow to the party. The 56-year engineering graduate had won in 2017, polling about 40% votes.

Nevertheless, Khaira is pretty hopeful these elections will prove a new beginning for them. He cites the example of Pakistam Premier Imran Khan. The PEP is one of the seven constituents of the Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA). 

“Owing to incidents of sacrilege as well as agrarian crisis, the SAD has lost credibility. Also, there is a strong anti-incumbency sentiment against the Congress,” he says. 

Sewa Singh Sekhwan agrees with him. “We will surely build a third alternative, taking all genuine forces along. We are looking at SGPC elections and 2022 Assembly elections,” he says.

But observers believe neither the PEP nor the Taksalis will leave a mark on Punjab’s political landscape. “The fundamental problem is that these parties claim they are a better version of the Akali Dal, not an alternative.The only hope came from AAP, but they too fell in the pit when they tried to appropriate the SAD base. So the PEP and SAD (Taksali) may play mega spoilers,” they say.