Punjab has seen a dramatic shift in favour of the Aam Aadmi Party. The people of Punjab have taken Bhagwant Mann, better known as a comic, seriously. For the very first time in Punjab, a government will be formed that is neither affiliated with the Congress nor the Akali Dal.
With the declaration of Bhagwant Mann as the CM candidate, the party was able to shed the outsider label that had been attached to it by the opposition. Mann, a famous comedian who has won the hearts of many Punjabis with his socio-political satire, is indeed a typical politician with a squeaky-clean, son-of-the-land persona.
Punjabis were done with the Congress and the Akali Dal
The message that echoed throughout the state was that the two major parties have ruled for 70 years but have failed to showcase progress. So it’s time to give another party a try.
The people of Punjab were seeking deliverance from both the Congress and the Akali Dal. Punjabis have also voiced this sentiment again.
The Aam Aadmi Party has a history of establishing governments at the last minute, including in the 2017 elections. The Punjabis have learned from their mistakes this time. Another reason for the victory in Punjab for AAP is the massive increase among the youth, farmers, and religious voters in the last five years. The key factors for this were rising youth unemployment and deepening discontent, which the Aam Aadmi Party has more than made up for.
The fascination with Delhi’s electricity and water model
When it comes to the matter of the staunch Sikh vote bank, AAP has left no stone unturned from Punjab to Canada. Even though there were claims against Kejriwal of misbehaving with Khalistanis, the Punjabi people paid little heed to it. Water and electricity were 2 prominent issues on which Arvind Kejriwal made a lot of revenue promises. A substantial portion of the population was fascinated by the promise of delivering free energy to the underprivileged along the lines of Delhi. Kejriwal didn’t just make promises; he followed through in Delhi.
Similarly, AAP’s proposal to deposit ₹1,000 per month into the accounts of women in the state endeared them to this demographic, despite the fact that many agreed that such populist promises are frequently unfulfilled.
Nothing worked in Congress’ favour
The Congress did not benefit from Captain Amarinder’s withdrawal from the role of Chief Minister at the last minute. Charanjit Channi tried to interact with the public as much as he could. He visited door to door, temples, gurudwaras, and churches, as well as the Deras, and tried all he could. But, Channi’s efforts couldn’t help him except for the Dalit votes.
Navjot Singh Sidhu obviously dropped out of the race. He earlier stated that even if the high command appointed Channi as the chief minister, they would require 59 seats to establish a government. This allows Sidhu to blame Channi and the high command for the party’s defeat. When the Congress Legislature Party meets this evening, there will be less debate about forming a government after the AAP’s victory, and more focus on the reasons for the setback.
Congress has suffered the worst setback. Punjab has traditionally been a bastion for the Congress party. The Aam Aadmi Party appears to have taken the fort in Punjab, just as it has in Delhi. Congress will now have to fight for its survival. Overall, Amarinder Singh’s defeat by Congress is nothing short of sweet vengeance.
A big NO for the BJP
For the first time in Punjab, the BJP ran alone. As a result, the party will have a better sense of what tactics they need to enhance their position. It is important to jump into the water in order to swim. The BJP’s senior brass will need to plan forward as well.
For the first time, AAP has emerged as a serious challenger to the BJP on a pan-India scale. With the Congress running out of steam, the AAP’s growth strategy may see it take on the saffron brigade in Gujarat, the latter’s stronghold. With control of Delhi and Punjab, the AAP has established itself as a formidable opponent to the BJP.
The size of AAP’s victory will empower the party to declare that Arvind Kejriwal should lead an anti-BJP coalition in the upcoming general election. “Kejriwal will be Prime Minister,” claimed AAP’s Raghav Chadha, pointing out that the party has demonstrated that its model of governance in Delhi works in other states as well.
Also Checkout: The Role Of Personality Cult In Indian Politics
