Malwa numbers the game changer

Half of Punjabs 22 districts fall in what makes up the Malwa region. And with as many as 68 of the total 117 Assembly seats falling in Malwa

Half of Punjabs 22 districts fall in what makes up the Malwa region. And with as many as 68 of the total 117 Assembly seats falling in Malwa also the biggest region geographically the road to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha invariably has to take a route through this region. With a staggering 34 of their 56 seats coming from Malwa,15 more than last time,the region has once again emerged as the game changer for SAD.

Considered a traditional Akali stronghold,Malwa had turned its back on them during the 2007 Assembly polls,returning SAD from a meagre 19 seats. This was primarily attributed to the influence of Dera Sacha Sauda,which was believed to have directed its followers to vote for the Congress. The Congress that won 37 seats here last time has now got 31.

The Akali surge in this election is despite ally BJP,which has got almost decimated here its tally down from six seats in 2007 to one.

While the seriousness of the setback to the Congress may not be visible because of the number of seats it has lost compared to last time its tally is down by just six seats,the fact is that some of its most prominent candidates in Malwa Raninder Singh Samana; Harminder Singh Jassi Bathinda Urban; Makhan Singh Bathinda Rural; Mangat Rai Bansal Maur; Gurpreet Singh Kangar Rampura Phul; Ripjeet Singh Brar Kotkapura; and Avtar Singh Brar Faridkot have all lost to SAD candidates.

Jassi,whose daughter is married to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahims son,lost to to SADs Sarup Chand Singla by a margin of 6,599 votes.

The deras strategy in not making public its political support to any party is now being viewed as a move that has done the Congress much harm in Malwa. Conspiracy theories of the dera having a tacit understanding with the Akalis are also doing the rounds.

The dera influence did not work for the Congress like it did in 2007. Their appeal had got diffused this time around, Dr Pramod Kumar,Director of Institute of Development and Communication,said.

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Given that ally BJPs overall tally has come down to 12,Malwas 15 additional seats may have won the day for the Akalis.