Ground Zero
Jagtar Singh
Induction of
celebrity-cricketer turned politician Navjot Singh Sidhu as the Punjab Congress
President just a few months before the challenge of February 2022 Assembly
election is a belated decision but finally, the ‘High Command’ has acted and
acted decisively having become wiser from major mishaps in states like Madhya
Pradesh.
As he has
travelled to the Congress from the Bharatiya Janata Party that brought him into
active politics, it is understandable that he has been making highly critical
statements against the leaders of the Congress. But then there are no permanent
friends or permanent foes in India’s political domain.
Punjab Chief
Minister Capt Amarinder Singh without any preconditions had himself hurriedly brought
back to Congress rebel Aam Aadmi Party MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira who too had
been his arch critic. He too is perceived to be a loose cannon.
The only
difference is that Navjot Singh has been attacking Capt Amarinder Singh while being in the Congress and from the
party platforms. He has been aggressively questioning performance of the
Amarinder government of which he earlier was the part as the local bodies
minister.
Now it is
Navjot Singh Sidhu who has been entrusted with the responsibility of gearing up
the party for the February 2022 fight that is going to be the tough one.
Of course,
there is one big factor not associated with any of the main contenders directly
that would play a major role in dictating the outcome.
The biggest
challenge before Navjot would be as to how to counter strong anti-incumbency
against the Amarinder government. The votes are sought by the ruling party on
performance and not by pleading for another chance after ditching the people.
Intriguingly,
Capt Amarinder Singh, who has the reputation
of taking bold stand on issues concerning Sikhs and the state and being
decisive, just distanced himself from governance after taking over the reigns
of the state this time. He had promised even moon to the electorate in the run
up to February 2017 polls.
Prime
Minister Narendra Modi too has failed to keep many of his promises like Rs. 15
lakh in every account and employment but he is not absentee administrator.
Capt
Amarinder Singh has been absentee administrator who out-sourced administration to a retired officer close to him.
Despite
murmurs, the factor that covered up this non-governance was the positive
performance of the Congress even in the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 by effectively
countering the Modi wave.
That is
past.
The issue is
as to what the future holds for the
Congress in Punjab in February 2022. Can Navjot Singh Sidhu rewrite the script?
The two
Patialvis have to first sort it out among themselves. Sonia Gandhi has appointed
Navjot despite strong opposition from Capt Amarinder Singh. It is pertinent to
mention that Capt Amarinder Singh is a personal friend of the Gandhi family. At
one level, the former Patiala Royal has been humiliated.
The new
state party chief would have to spell out his agenda in the coming days after
the hype settles down. The people in the state are demanding answers for the continuing
mess.
The issues
remain the same as in 2017 but only the players have changed. And here is the
challenge for the new party chief. The Congress would have to shed the baggage
of non-governance by producing positive results at the earliest as even the delayed results would be perceived to
be election gimmick.
And producing
results is not in the hands of the Congress chief but the chief minister.
Under the
changed situation, the chief minister too would be under pressure to govern and
perform.
In case his
earlier governing style continues, would the Gandhi family take the next step?
The first
step has been taken after perception had gained ground that the Congress is on
way out. The future of the party in the state, and hence that of Navjot Singh
Sidhu, is directly linked to the Amarinder government.
The Punjab February
2022 writing obituary of the Congress is not ruled out going by the present
situation.
This dimension
raises yet another question mark.
What next?
Would it be
perform or quit?
One of the
major factors that would dictate outcome of the February 2022 election would be
the farmers struggle to which every political party has paid only lip service.
Choice for Punjab is now in between future promises & non-fulfillment of promises .
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