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This is an archive article published on February 3, 2022

Amritsar Calling: Battle of the Ballot

Amritsar is an important city in Punjab’s legislative arena, and the field is open for a contest. However, there are no certainties anymore.

File photo of people at the Heritage street near Amritsar's Golden temple. (PTI)File photo of people at the Heritage street near Amritsar's Golden temple. (PTI)

Punjab prepares to vote for a new government on February 20, and this month will decide the fate of a medley of aspirants from a constantly brewing melting pot. By mid-March, we should have a new government in place. Hung or conclusive, elected or ruled presidentially, who knows really. Never has the battleground been so confused as the one evident in Punjab today. In Amritsar, the brew is boiling over the brim, and the cocktail ever-changing, in content and potency. In fact, a few ingredients are yet to be thrown in to get the ultimate kick.

The recipe is unique, but one in use nationally today. Disgruntled with one, jump on to the bandwagon of the other, assuaged by the original, jump right back overnight. Be sure, however, to take along your coterie of, “could be would be,” sycophants who are also fishing in these troubled waters. The constituencies are ever-changing too. One would expect that a leader would stick to his turf and nurture his electorate, deliver his mandate, stick to his manifesto and come right back as the apple of peoples’ eye. But then, this is a heady mix, a game of opportunism, where the citizen is but a number, a vote.

Loyalty is a scruple expected of the scrupled. Politicians, in contrast, are known to be selflessly in their own service. Impatient for an innings at the helm or somewhere in between, frustrated at not getting a chance at the spoils, unhappy at the refusal for a ticket to the nephew as well, or simply feeling ignored at not getting enough audiences with the honcho, just dive into a new stream and flow with the outbound tide. Gathjors and torhphors seem to be the formula in play. Why keep united when you can break up. It is a whirlpool out there, yet so many are diving in without life vests or the ability to swim. Some are still in midair to God knows where. Testing the waters? Who cares, just jump in. Dekhi jayegi is the new foolhardy mojo of the upwardly mobile leadership hopefuls.

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Amritsar is an important city in Punjab’s legislative arena, and the field is open for a contest. However, there are no certainties anymore, no apparent swings in favour of one or the other, no real vote for change. The discerning voter couldn’t care less. Despondency is apparent as the electorate is frustrated with the situation, of unkept promises, financial deprivation of the state, and the apparent burgeoning of the fiscal fortunes of a few in power. The dearth of purpose in manifestos or the lack of redressal of their woes is stunning for the people. Freebies are being given knowing fully well that there is no bank balance to sustain. Subsidies are on offer like alms and so are jobs, with no credence to merit or sustainability of programs.

Apart from those who couldn’t care less, there is the common populace whose votes matter. They have lost much during the pandemic— jobs, sources of income, even members of their family. On top of this scenario, the double-whammy of higher prices and healthcare costs has hurt everyone. Each one is hungry for what he or she can get out of a bad situation. These are desperate times, and they have every intention to cash in on the opportunity. The aspirants and their planners know this reality and they are throwing in the money bags and the freebies. Each constituency and every muhallah is on the radar and the one true motive is the need to please.

Suddenly one finds activity in our colony. A while ago an open gym was inaugurated. Last week, I was told that a councillor’s husband is arriving with goodies for the park. Taeblaan lagan geeyan, I was told much to my amusement. Non-plussed, I wondered about the need for tables in the park. The plot thickened when I saw cemented benches being put up instead. What’s the difference, I thought to myself, both are surfaces after all. On one you put hands and things; on these, we can park our butts. As I joked about the confusion in nomenclature, I was assured that even the ditches on the road shall be repaired. That was a month ago.

As it is just too much has happened. The ship’s Captain was sure to win the mandate after betting on the farmers and allowing them ample loose rope for agitations. But he underestimated the power of the admiralty which had other plans. The Congress dismissed her Captain and installed a dream team that they deemed shall bring the ultimate equilibrium, and a certain cakewalk. They installed an SC as newbie CM for the moment, addressing smartly 32 per cent population of the state. They even threw in a Jat Sikh and a Hindu leader as deputies, stalwarts from in and around our Holy City. Voila! Except that they still had another in their armoury, who could shoot everyone in the foot. This has been quite a comedy circus, and the stand-up scenario has been full of humour, yet mulled with intrigue.

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The Captain has made his own raft, the Punjab Lok Congress, and tied it to the rudder of the battleship of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Strange bedfellows these, ones that have been literally at each other’s throats till now, with little in common than their foes. Say some Ambarsaris in disdain … Sannu kee, others rub their palms with glee… Hun dekho tamasha!

The battle-scarred farmers who had sworn not to plunge into the waters of political gamesmanship, after scoring a win with the union, suddenly jumped into the fray. And yet some of them are still onshore, others in midair, some swimming, and some sunk for having jumped too soon. A lot is happening on this front every day. This bunch will eventually reap what they sow. They seemed to tend towards the AAP, which has already announced candidates for all their seats, taking a pick from all the ‘unhappiest’ out there from any and whichever party possible. They have also put up Bhagwant Mann as the CM’s face. This could be fun to watch as well. Bacchus beware!

The Akali Dal under the young Turk has been under the cloud for past goings-on in the state. He had cut the umbilical with the BJP, to whom his father had sworn for life, and latched on to the Bahujan straw to keep afloat. Meanwhile, they continue with the mastered art of puppeteering in the institutions under their sway, using them openly as fiefdoms of the clan. While the nonagenarian and son battle it out elsewhere, the Amritsar bastion has been left to defend for Majithia, the young, yet the battle-scarred face of the city, who is straddling his certain rural seat as also now spoiling for a battle royale in town.

And let us not forget the supremo who had thought of doing his usual showmanship in Punjab after having wiped the farmer sweat off his brow, got his hopes rain-sloshed and bridge-tagged. He beat a hasty retreat to the Capital, not before making known that he believed he had survived a dunking. And then he sprang a surprise. While all thought he would go for President’s rule he cast the poll hook instead, sending everyone scurrying about.

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With politicos switching sides, parties breaking up, and forming new ones, it’s the pollsters’ perfect storm breaking loose. It is also a season where dark horses may emerge, and surprises may ensue. The danger is that people who have lost the plot may resort to sullying waters by dividing and polarising the electorate by any which way feasible. History has showcased that desperate modus operandi of parties, looking at fractured mandates, leads to mayhem and discord. The city, however, needs a set of leaders who care and are capable, can think through, and have the wherewithal to leverage connections and thus deliver to the wishes of the constituents.

As the cauldron boils full-on, there are many out there in play—those who promised to remove mountains of garbage unsuccessfully, those who stand firm and yet interlock everything green, and the ones who promised much and gave little. As an electorate, we are in the habit of not electing those who matter, electing those who do not show their faces or are lack vision, even those who can give us personal fiduciary benefits and positions, but seldom those who will deliver to this all-important city its due.

As people watch the mavericks and the diehards, the spent forces and the wannabes, the spoilers and the aspirants, the kingmakers and the commoners, the observer watches and contemplates upon the future of this Holy City … Hun dekho rang kartar de!

(The writer is an environmentalist and author)

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