Cong, Morcha likely to form front
Thursday, 25/10/2012
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20121025/punjab.htm#5
Chandigarh : The Congress and the Sanjha Morcha led by the People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) are moving towards forming a common front against the SAD-BJP alliance with the Punjab Pradesh Congress submitting a report to the high command, stating that this front could take shape by January next year.
The Sanjha Morcha, which includes the PPP as well as the CPI and the CPM, is likely to make a beginning in this regard by sharing stage with the Congress at the Maghi Mela in Muktsar. This could well turn out to be a show of strength for the new front with the Sanjha Morcha having a sizeable presence in the Malwa region.
The Punjab Congress has held informal discussions with the Sanjha Morcha constituents, including the PPP and the Left parties. An electoral understanding in also on the cards for the 2014 parliamentary elections with the Congress agreeing in principle to leave the Bathinda seat for PPP chief Manpreet Singh Badal and the Faridkot (Reserve) seat for the Left. The Left parties had earlier evinced interest in contesting the Faridkot and Hoshiarpur (Reserve) seats.They are now ready to give up their demand for the Hoshiarpur seat, say Congress sources.
The Punjab Congress feels that fielding Manpreet from Bathinda would tie down the Badal family to the constituency. It feels that having the Sanjha Morcha on its side would help consolidate the anti SAD-BJP vote bank in the state.
The Morcha was able to poll six per cent of the total votes polled during the last assembly elections with the PPP alone getting a 5.1 per cent vote share. Sources said things were likely to take shape after the all-party meeting on November 20 that has been called by the PPP. Manpreet said it was too early to talk about a poll alliance and that no talks had been held with the Congress in this regard so far.
He, however, said an alliance with the Congress was possible if the all-party meeting identified “common goals” and if there was a meeting of minds. Sources said if the November 20 meeting was successful, the Congress and the Morcha could start with holding joint dharnas against the SAD-BJP Government. This could then be extended to sharing dais on important occasions and even reaching a pact for the Lok Sabha elections.
