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Seat sharing is among the key obstacles confronting the INDIA alliance as it attempts to put its house in order and get going in its efforts to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha states. In at least four states the alliance’s constituents are likely to run into resistance over seat sharing and among them is Punjab.
Top Congress leaders in the state admitted there was an undercurrent among its leaders against any pre-electoral understanding with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that is in power in the state and warned of a “mass rebellion” if the alliance took shape. The aversion of state Congress leaders to the idea of an alliance stems from the numerous cases registered against many of them by the Vigilance Bureau since the AAP came to power last year.
Most importantly, Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa is against a tie-up. Bajwa described the Vigilance Bureau cases as AAP’s “political witch-hunt”. He told The Indian Express on Wednesday, “I have already conveyed the anti-alliance sentiment of Punjab Congress leaders to the All India Congress Committee (AICC). I can comment further on the issue only after a final decision is taken by the party high command.”
On Thursday, at a rally held to protest against the AAP government over the failing law and order situation in the state, Bajwa said people of Punjab will now have to go through this punishment for five years. “Ehna jaaliyaan naal na saanu ikattha karna, eh rishta saanu manzoor nahi (Don’t connect us with such fake people, we do not accept this relationship),” he said reiterating his stand against the alliance.
Like Bajwa, former Deputy CM and sitting MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa is also against allying with the AAP. “Chief minister Bhagwant Mann has been referring to AAP leaders as ‘kattar imandaar (outrightly honest)’ and Congress leaders as ‘vadde beimaan (extremely dishonest)’. How can we share the stage and ally with him? He has gone on record to say he will put all of us behind bars,” Randhawa said.
He said the Opposition number in the Assembly would shrink to seven — three Akali Dal MLAs, two of the BJP, one from BSP, and an Independent — if the alliance takes shape. The AAP has 92 MLAs while the Congress has 18 members in the 117-member House.
Meanwhile, Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring took a measured approach to the issue. He said the state unit had been directed to contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state but emphasised that the party’s high command would take the final call on the alliance.
“Till today, I haven’t been told by Delhi what our position is on the alliance with AAP. I don’t know about the future. I will communicate the feelings of leaders and workers to the high command. I have full faith in (AICC chief Mallikarjun) Kharge and Rahul Gandhi and hope no such decision which is against the sentiments of the people will be taken,” he said on Thursday.
The most vocal opposition to the proposed alliance came from state Congress working president Bharat Bhusan Ashu, who said he would “sit at home during the Lok Sabha polls instead of committing this suicide” and former minister Pargat Singh.
“Just remember in case we form an alliance with AAP, we won’t find any Congress worker to fill our buses or work with us during the elections. AAP is just a B-team of the BJP and is out to finish the Congress. We cannot allow this to happen,” the sitting Jalandhar Cantt MLA said.
A section of the state Congress, however, remains in favour of the alliance. The staunchest voice of support for the alliance came from Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was conspicuous by his absence in Thursday’s rally.
“Every aspect, including the possibility of a BJP-Akali Dal tie-up needs to be kept in mind. (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi’s upsurge is also very strong. Post the loss in the May 10 Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll, sitting Congress MPs are in favour of the alliance. A tie-up with the AAP will be in the interest of the party,” said a senior state Congress leader.
A former Congress legislator, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “The Congress may be given either six or seven seats in the state. A clearer picture will emerge in the next few days.”
The state AAP, meanwhile, remained non-committal on the issue and said its central leadership would take the final call. “The INDIA bloc has brought Opposition parties (at the national level) together in a bid to save democracy. As far as Punjab is concerned, the political affairs committee of the party and national leadership will take a call on the alliance,” said AAP’s Punjab spokesperson Malwinder Singh Kang.
— With inputs from Divya Goyal
