Punjab News Express/Satinder Bains
CHANDIGARH: The victory of Sunil Jakhar Congress party candidate in Gurdaspur bye-elelction is for sure a big gain for Congress party and a setback for SAD-BJP alliance and AAP but it is not an absolute decision of electorate in favour of Congress which is struggling to meet the expectations of people of state.
The Congress party has got another opportunity from people to fulfill the promises on which it came to power in Punjab. Congress would now need to tred very cautiously in the aftermath of Gurdaspur win.If they failed to perform it could turn into an anti-incumbency factor before 2019 Parliament eletions where staks for Congress would be very high. The good news for Congress came at the same time when Congress is preparing to install Rahul Gandhi president of AICC.
The Congress government in Punjab had faced criticism of opposition parties for failing to waive off farm loans, stoping farmer suicides, providing employment and containing the sand, durg and transport mafia promoted by SAD-BJP regime. Unfortunately, Congress was not able to enjoy its hineymood period and started losing its sheen even before completion of six months in office. The win in Gurdaspur has came as a reprive for the party and now it is high time for Capt Amarinder Singh to introspect and focus on real issues.
Gurdaspur election has different meaning for SAD-BJP alliance which was shuntged out of power by people for poor performance and mainly nourishing drug mafia, controlling liquor and sand mining trade, monopolising transport business of Badal family and ruining constitutional institutions like Lok Pal, State Human Right Commission and messing up with Sikh institutions like SGPC and Akal Takht. The SASD-BJP alliance was trying to find ground in Gurdaspur and crushing defeat has further disillussioned the party cadre. The SAD-BJP alliance had lost its credibility and moral face when sex video of senior Akali leader Sucha Singh Langah went viral on social media.
The defeat of SAD-BJP alliace is also personal set back for SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal who had made it a prestige issue and took the responsibility if BJP candidate Swaran Salaria. He committed in public it is his election not of BJP. It is repeat of same mistake, he and his brother in law Bikram Singh Majithia had done in 2014 in Amritsar Lok Sabha election when they took responsibility of election campaign of Arun Jaitely. The Amritsar election was on ground contested between Bikram Majithia and Capt Amarinder Singh and it resulted in humikiating defeat of Jaitely. Bikram was facing charges of protecting drug mafia and sheltering criminal gangs. In Gurdaspur too the election in a way turned into a contest between Sukhbir Badal-Biram Majthia versus Capt Amarinder Singh.
Fore the first time Parkash Singh Badal didnt come to campaign in favour of BJP candidate which gave a negative messsage to party cadre. The result also proved that Sukhbir Badal alone was not able to carry the responsibility of party on his shoulders. The outcome of Gurdaspur by-election may lead to disintegration in the SAD. The BJP also face revolt agaisnt the leaderhip of Vijay Sampla who has completely surrendered before Sukhbir Badal. The selection of discredited candidate Swaran Salaria has cost the party heavily.
AAP has faced humiliating defeat and failed to impress the voters despite the fact that party had fielded best candidate among all 11 contesting candidates. Suresh Kumar Khajuria was an upright ex-army officer and joined politics do clean the system. The defeat of Khajuria is disheartning for all those are looking forward to change the political system. The traditional parties may not allow the change so quickly but hope never dies.