Win in Chandigarh MC signals change in Punjab: Kejriwal

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 27

With the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) emerging as the leading party winning 14 of 35 wards in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation polls, its national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Monday claimed the party’s victory “is a sign of the ensuing change in Punjab”.

He said the people of Chandigarh have chosen “honest politics” of AAP, rejecting the “corrupt politics” of its rival parties. Party leader Manish Sisodia too claimed that the people of Punjab “have decided to give a chance to Kejriwal this time”.

It’s Mandate for honest politics

The victory of AAP in Chandigarh MC is a sign of ensuing change in Punjab. People of Chandigarh have chosen honest politics of AAP, rejecting corrupt politics. —Arvind Kejriwal

However, political analysts say infighting in the Congress and anti-incumbency against the BJP favoured AAP in the UT. They feel the result may not be an indicator of the party’s performance in the Punjab Assembly elections.

The analysts say AAP’s claims are far-fetched. The UT poll results may not help AAP beyond boosting the morale of its cadre and building a perception in a limited way, they say.

Chandigarh-based political observer Dr Pramod Kumar says the UT results are a clear mandate against the BJP. The Congress despite getting the highest vote share lost because of its internal rift. “A large section of Congress workers joined AAP, which built the party in Chandigarh,” he says. The party, however, is unlikely to repeat the same feat in Punjab, he claims.

Echoing similar views, political commentator Jagtar Singh says AAP won mainly in urban pockets of Chandigarh. “This clearly shows their style of politics is unlikely to find favour in a large part of Punjab,” he claims.

Besides, the experts say the politics in Punjab is completely different than in Chandigarh. Cautioning the Congress in Punjab, Dr Kumar says, “The party must acknowledge that its Chandigarh unit messed up the election due to internal conflict and the Punjab unit is going the same way. More than AAP winning this election, it is about the Congress losing it.”