PUNJAB AT CROSS-ROADS: 2017 (Part 4)
Self goal by AAP and aftermath...
I am writing this blog after a gap of several weeks. I had been
travelling in Punjab as also in Himachal Pradesh. I do not know if I have come
out a shade wiser nor am still the same old fool. Anyhow my impressions of
these days have been varied, ‘Kabhi Khushi, Kabhi Gum’ kinda! I will write about
each of them separately, one by one.
First about Punjab as I see it as on date; the political scenario,
as we inch towards Assembly elections scheduled for early 2017. The political
scene which was hazy is become murkier. This chapter is dedicated to AAP, Punjab.
Hope my plain talk, without malice, does not make them bitterer towards me.
AAP Punjab, which till now was ahead of others, in the race, had
for some time now been showing signs of fatigue. After a steady climb, it had
not only slowed down but even started showing signs of moving towards decline. There
were serious internal bickering at all levels and the top leadership of AAP
Delhi, which has no roots in Punjab, was getting aloof from Punjabi masses. Instead
of trying to win over the masses it only hoped to cash on serious
anti-incumbency against SAD and general anti Congress sentiments in a section
of Punjabis. It was becoming head
strong, arrogant and refusing to come out of its ivory tower. First indication
was criticism of Sanjay Singh, the ‘over ground’ party leader who was accused
of generally favouring and of being in the company only of rich and powerful;
some of whom had a somewhat shady past and against whom accusations of not
being upright were being leveled. Complaints were lodged with the second and
third rung of the AAP leadership in Delhi, but of no avail. Sanjay is one of
the ‘Tri Murti’ of the party. The king, that is the Tri Murti in case of AAP,
can do no wrong.
Talking of the ‘underground’ leadership of AAP, one which is not visible
but is immensely active, as compared to ‘over ground’ leadership, mentioned in
the preceding para; one headed by ‘Durgesh & Co’ had also been losing touch
with masses. They were accessible only to the top rung leadership of various
stray parties and pressure groups including Dera heads and unions. Undoubtedly ‘Durgesh
& Co’ had been immensely successful in their venture and whatever inroads
AAP had made, was because of them. They had been steadily working like a mole,
or to put it in a slightly better language, like underground ‘operational intelligent
agencies.’ I simply adore and love their modus operandi. But they failed to
gauge and manage individual ambitions of the ‘old and established home grown leadership
of Punjab’ which was basically not happy with the dictates of ‘outsiders’ for
whom often ‘derogatory’ phrases like ‘East
India Company from Delhi’ and ‘Resident leadership of AAP Delhi’ were being
used. I am really surprised that intelligentsia and top notch media managers
like Kanwar Sandhu, Manpreet Randhawa and Chandra Suta Dogra also failed to see
it all or may be, of which I am not privy, they were not heard by the ‘AAP Tri
Murti’. Besides Arvind and Sanjay, several other top rung leaders of AAP like
Ashish Khaitan, Kumar Vishwas etc had been in touch with them, but again I don’t
know who failed and where. First sign of their faltering was evident when ‘Youth
Manifesto’ came up.
Talking about the ‘old inland and established leadership’ of Punjab
which had joined the party, serious rumblings had been going on for a long time
now. Though the elevation of Sucha Singh Chotepur as Party Convener in Punjab went
unnoticed and did not create any controversy but his act of ensuring that no ‘powerful’
person joined AAP Punjab did start the ball rolling. He was insecure all the
time and he tried to ensure his ‘safety. The only person he was vary of, was
advocate Phoolka who ensured his continuous presence in Punjab in general and in
Ludhiana Rural in particular. Dr Gandhi and Harinder Khalsa, who had a ‘mind of
their own’ got isolated. Bhagwant Mann was busy attempting hara-kiri all the
time. Perhaps Sadhu Singh believed in the saying ‘a bird in hand is better than
two in the bush’ and as such was happy. Sucha Singh has been on the same page
with Sukhpal Khaira, another seasoned politician from Punjab and who was inducted
and made spokes person of the party. Chotepur erroneously hoped of containing Phoolka
who has considerable base amongst Punjabis in Delhi which is the very base of Arvind
as well. Delhi is Arvind’s priority and he can’t dare to neglect it even in
wildest of his dreams. Then came up the name of Navjot Singh Sidhu, a deadly meteorite
who could demolish everyone else in the AAPian politics of Punjab and along
with the call ‘ahoy all hands on the deck’, come and join the task force to
oppose Navjot. Even the Tri Murti was scared in Delhi because Navjot has
following in Punjab, a strong mind of his own and could pose a challenge to
Arvind. AAP only wants a ‘supportive base’ in Punjab. I was sure of but one
thing right from day one and that is that either of Navjots will not be
inducted in the party. And I was right. Next writing on the wall was that now it
is the turn of Chotepur and inevitable happened.
Old volunteers of AAP have been unhappy from day one, since the
Parliamentary elections when they saw ‘para-shoot candidates’ being dropped in
from nowhere. Old volunteers were ignored all along because they were individuals
with drive, initiative, guts and grit; who refused to blindly follow the party
dictates. Their local level units were set up all over, the strongest being in
Jalandhar followed by Ludhiana. They have generally been opposed to Phoolka
who, they allege did not stand by him. And now Phoolka is the most likely Chief
Ministerial face, as on date, of AAP Punjab. Forces opposed both to Arvind and Phoolka
are now being contacted by leaders belonging to Yogendra Yadav’s camp, whose
initial plan to set up the ‘Swaraj Abhiyan’ in Punjab has failed miserably.
Next few weeks will be but an interesting ‘tug of war’ not only
within AAP but in the form of attacks and counter attacks on it both by
Congress and SAD.
Let’s sit back and enjoy…
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