Fight to the finish

Punjab is seeing huge interest in what could be Captain Amarinder Singh’s final electoral battle, but there is uncertainty about the impact he might make

- SONI MISHRA

MILITARY JARGON was widely used to describe the situation Captain Amarinder Singh found himself in after the Congress asked him to step down as chief minister. His supporters criticised the party for changing its general so close to the polls. He said he was a soldier who did not want to quit the field before winning.

On the face of it, Amarinder’s declaration that he is willing to share seats with the BJP seems suicidal. The BJP is, unsurprisingly, unpopular in Punjab ever since the farmers started their protests. This combined with anti-incumbency and the perception that Amarinder has not delivered on promises make the combination look like a non-starter. However, his capacity to damage the prospects of other parties, especially the Congress, is acknowledged, and no one is taking him lightly.

Political observers have described Amarinder’s potential alignment with the BJP as a homecoming, given his consistent articulation of nationalistic sentiments. The BJP was prompt in welcoming the declaration. It is felt that while the saffron party would get the tallest leader in the state, the former chief minister would get an ally that would help him with resources and boots on the ground. The immediate impact of Amarinder launching his own party—which he named Punjab Lok Congress on November 2 when he finally resigned from the Congress—and launching a front that also includes breakaway Akali groups would be to turn the coming elections into a multi-polar contest.

Amarinder has indicated that he could tie up with the BJP if the issues on which the farming community is agitating are resolved. If the farmers’ issues do get resolved, the key players in the polls will have to rework their electoral strategy.