Voters seek viable alternatives amidst anti-incumbency wave in Punjab

New Delhi: As Punjab goes to the polls on Sunday, all the key political parties including Indian National Congress (INC), Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) (SAD-B) have gone all out to win voters’ confidence to ensure their victory. However, even as these parties are banking on their hardcore loyalists to secure a win, a large number of voters are unhappy with the present government and are looking for new options, which could cause a dent in their vote banks.
 
 As voters of Punjab look for options, new alliances such as SAD-BSP, BJP-Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) and Aam Aadmi party appear to be the available alternatives.
 
The incumbent politicians appear to have poor odds of getting re-elected owing to the prevalent anti-incumbency factor, which is likely to result in high voter turnout on Sunday, the day of the polling. Resentment is rife among the rural electorate, who are miffed over the continuous disregard of the needs of their constituencies by their elected representatives and are determined to 'teach them a lesson this time'.
 
Despite the displeasure and bitterness prevailing among voters, the political leaders not only manage to get away with the unfulfilled promises but are also somehow able to project themselves as even more ‘trustworthy and credible' than before in their eyes, with renewed promises and campaign pledges in exchange for their votes.
 
In rural Punjab, especially in the villages situated close to Indo-Pak international border, people are still bereft of basic facilities and infrastructure like metalled streets, street lights, potable water, round-the-clock electricity, better connectivity, and smooth roads to their villages.
 
Drug addiction is another important factor that is likely to affect the voting pattern this time. Despite initial hesitation, voters, on being cajoled, shared accounts of how the menace has affected the lives of their children and relatives, blaming their elected representatives for patronizing the drug mafia.
 
The situation is almost the same in the 69, 25 and 23 assembly constituencies of Malwa, Majha and Doaba regions of Punjab, respectively. The political alliance between former Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Lok Congress with BJP and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led SAD (Samyukat) has left the electorate completely befuddled as to who to vote for.
 
Having emerged as a strong turbaned face of the BJP, captain Amrinder Singh is waging a war against Congress high command and Sidhu, which could prove to be disastrous for the Congress party, which is fighting two battles – the 2022 assembly elections, as well as the infighting within its cadres. The rift between the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Navjot Singh Sidhu and Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has divided the Congress supporters with Akalis trying to fill the space with their emotional speeches to win over the confidence of voters.
 
BJP, which has only three seats in Punjab, is doing its best by wooing the Sikh voters and even the release of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, Chief of Dera Sacha Sauda on 21-day-furlough, ahead of the assembly elections, could benefit the saffron party since Dera has immense followership in Malwa region of Punjab which contributes a majority of seats to the winning party that rules the state.
 
SAD, meanwhile, is banking on the loyalty of its hardcore voters, whose tally is approximately 25 per cent of the constituents. They are projecting themselves as a ‘Panthic’ party, while their alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party is an answer to the Dalit card of Congress. Interestingly, SAD did not have to face any sacrilege allegations during the election campaign.
 
Farmers still lack representation despite having agitated for over a year against the farm laws. The farmers’ unions were divided post-acceptance of their demands on account of their affiliation with various political parties.
 
Realizing the fact that the anti-incumbency wave could dent their votes immensely, the incumbent MLAs are apologizing to the electorate for years of neglect and are seeking votes only based on the 111 days of the Channi government. However, they are unable to give an account of the past 4.5 years.

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