Shant's defection warning signal to Bajwa against sidelining Amarinder loyalists

Tuesday, 06/08/2013

http://www.punjabnewsline.com/punjab/shants-defection-warning-signal-to-bajwa-against-sidelining-amarinder-loyalists/84273

CHANDIGARH: The defection of Ajit Singh Shant, a former independent MLA who had later joined the Congress, to Shiromani Akali Dal is not only a grave setback to the Congress in Punjab, but a warning signal to the Pradesh Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa that he has not been able to carry along everybody so far, particularly those who were seen close or loyal to his predecessor Amarinder Sigh.

There is a widespread impression among the Congress leaders known for their loyalty or proximity to the former Chief Minister that Bajwa has gradually been sidelining and isolating them. Conversely he has been trying to project all those leaders who have been opposed to Amarinder. With the result a vertical division of opinion has crept into the Congress in Punjab with a section of leadership deeply feeling ignored and overlooked, in comparison to others whose only qualifications remains that they were opposed to Amarinder.

Shant was a known Amarinder loyalist. The claims of the Akalis that he belonged to an Akali family notwithstanding he was actually a leftist supporting the CPI and stringently opposed to Akali politics. He won as an independent candidate from Nihalsinghwala in 2007 and later joined the Congress under Amarinder’s leadership. He was allotted Congress party ticket in 2012 and lost by a slim margin of about 600 votes only.

Given his popularity, highest level of integrity and honesty, there was a strong buzz that he was being projected as the Congress candidate from Faridkot parliamentary constituency. However, it is learnt that he did not find favours with the incumbent president Bajwa that ultimately led him to join the Akali Dal, a party he has opposed all his life. He is believed to not having been sure whether he will get the ticket or not for the obvious reason that he was seen as a pro-Amarinder leader by Bajwa group.

Partap Bajwa may have been doing well in mobilising the cadres and addressing well attended public meetings across the state, but he seems to be lagging in taking along everyone. Whether he has been deliberately ignoring and overlooking those close to Amarinder or not, but a perception has already got created that he has been at best ignoring them and at worst trying to isolate and let them down.

If he is actually doing so, he shall be doing at his own and party’s peril as Amarinder does still command considerable influence among the party cadres across the state. Just by sidelining and marginalising his supporters he cannot be wished away from state politics, not at least for the time being.