Angered Punjab decimates traditional political elite, entrusts AAP with massive challenge of perform or perish

 

 Tornado triggered by anger and hate decimates Punjab’s traditional political elite

 

Ground Zero

Jagtar Singh

 

Tornado triggered by cumulative hate and anger spread over a decade has decimated the traditional political elite in Punjab.

Punjab is one state whose religio-political dynamics is different from all other states in the country and the results of the February Assembly election declared on Thursday has once reinforced this dimension.

In a normal election, Punjab has given unprecedented mandate to the Aam Aadmi Party by electing 92 of its candidates in a house of 117 members. This is the  most important dimension of this election as even in 1992 election boycotted by the mainstream Akali Dal, the Congress had 87 seats in its kitty.

The second most important aspect is the humiliating end to the long inning of 5-time chief minister and Fakhr-e-Qaum Panth Rattan Parkash Singh Badal at the age of 94, who has set the record even in his defeat as the oldest candidate to have lost. He had emerged as the most dominating leader in the Sikh religio-political domain after 1997. He had damaged every Sikh institution to emerge as the strongest leader. His politics has finally boomeranged forcing him to pay the cost.

The people of Punjab have swept away the corrupt and degenerated political elite to the dustbin. The Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal had not only ceased to have any difference but had become partners in the loot of the state and in the process, getting alienated from the man in the street. This political elite had turned highly arrogant.

Punjab witnessed a new political culture in which the political leaders remained aloof from the common people. These very people finally got aware and dumped them.

The new socio-political behaviour was shaped by the historic kisan struggle that sparked new awareness among the masses in every village and in every mohalla in the urban areas. Punjab had not experienced such massive and the most peaceful  mobilisation since 1947 that led to the victory.

This mobilisation had maintained distance from these traditional and opportunistic political elite.

The people looked for alternative. And they found the alternative in the Aam Aadmi Party to which Punjab had provided the broad platform by sending four MPs of this party to the Lok Sabha in 2014 Parliamentary election and again by elevating this party as the main opposition in 2017 Assembly election.

The slogan of change was rooted in this  changing socio-political behaviour.

The first sign of the new social behaviour was visible when people in villages started questioning the members of the political elite thereby unleashing politics of accountability.

It is this politics of accountability that would be the most crucial test for AAP in the coming days.

Punjab has provided the much-needed space to AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to broaden political landscape of his party by using this state as the launch pad. It is the context that Delhi is a semi-state, rather a glorified municipal corporation.

Punjab has turned into a mafia state over the years one of whose aspects is politician-bureaucrat nexus.

The Congress had set big goals in 2017 but failed miserably to produce results.

The Akali Dal just failed to perform as the opposition being in alliance with the BJP and thus part of the Narendra Modi government till the farm struggle forced the separation but it was too late by then. Even Parkash Singh Badal defended the three farm laws that were subsequently withdrawn.

The challenge for AAP in Punjab is to perform or perish.

In the age of social media, the people expect quick results. The government would have to at least given out the signal that it is taking ‘revolutionary’ steps.

It is easy to invoke the name of revolutionary ideologue Shaheed Bhagat Singh. But it is good that chief minister designate Bhagwant Singh Mann has sworn by his name to provide alternative politics and governance. Shaheed Bhagat Singh himself has laid down the broad framework.

What is needed is commitment to his pro-people revolutionary ideology and the will to put it into practice.

Mann should himself set the example by continuing to remain man of the masses rather than confining himself behind the barbed wires.

He has to give a clear signal that his government means business, more than just hospitals and schools.

Punjab is a laboratory.

Punjab is not just the name of the region and this mandate has proved it through its collective socio-political behaviour.

The new government should begin by removing the stink from the politico-administrative domain.