PDA losing way, AAP emerges third alternative

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 18

With the Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA), which came up in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, having crumbled, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is the only third force in the state’s political arena.

The bypoll to the four Assembly constituencies, however, poses a big challenge to party’s state convener Bhagwant Mann. AAP is fighting to retain Dakha, which fell vacant after the resignation of HS Phoolka. The party is “keenly” contesting Jalalabad. In Mukerian, the BSP has extended support to AAP, giving some push to party candidate Gurdhian Singh Multani.

The party’s performance in bypolls will be a referendum on the AAP state leadership. The party’s vote share in Punjab had declined from 25 per cent in the 2017 state Assembly elections to 7.4 per cent in the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year.

Though political parties rubbish the good response to AAP roadshows, saying people coming only to “get entertained and laugh at Bhagwant Mann’s jokes”, AAP feels otherwise.

Mann’s colleagues say that his statewide programmes such as “Bijli Andolan” (agitation against high power tariff in the state) and “Punjab Bolda Hai” (meant to reconnect its cadre that weaned away to other parties), are paving the way for AAP’s political revival.

Leader of Opposition Harpal Cheema said, “We may not have done well in the Lok Sabha election, but the people are realising that there is no difference between the Akali Dal and the Congress.”