Nothing unusual about Congress’ Dhuri setback
Friday, 17/04/2015
http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=129145&boxid=57738&uid=&dat=2015-04-17
Bathinda : The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) snatched Dhuri Assembly seat from the Congress with a margin of 37,501 votes, which takes the ruling party’s tally to 59 in the 117-member Punjab Vidhan Sabha. Since the Congress leaders and cadres were working as a disjointed lot from the day one, the spectre of defeat was hovering over them, but they were not ready to read those obvious lines on the walls of Dhuri, the seat which the Congress won in the previous poll.
Partap Singh Bajwa, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president, and former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh did not refrain from washing their dirty linens in full public view in the constituency.
It was heartening for many to see them together when Simar Partap Singh Barnala was filing his nomination, but this bonhomie was only for the public consumption. The very next day the two leaders were again in a tussle for appointing their loyalists to command the campaign operation. Amarinder had assigned the task to Guruharsahai MLA Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, while Bajwa reposed his faith in former Sangrur MP Vijay Inder Singla. Irked, Captain was quick to walk out of the constituency, leaving the whole responsibility on Bajwa’s shoulders.
It was only after being pulled up by the high command, as was learnt from reliable sources, Captain and his men returned to the constituency. He did spare just two days for the canvassing. Talking to Daily Post about his short visit, Amarinder had said, “Two days are sufficient enough for me to canvass for a candidate. You can check the record that even in my own elections in Patiala I used to hold just two meetings.” Then, the lack of connect between cadres and the party candidate further queered the pitch for Barnala.
Failed to find anyone among the Congress to contest the seat, which became a matter of public discussion after Barnala MLA Kewal Dhillon issued a press statement about withdrawing his son’s candidature, the Congress party explored all possible options and finally decided to fall back on Simar Partap Singh Barnala, the grandson of former Chief Minister Surjeet Singh Barnala. The Congress cadre could not accept him as their actual representative. There was a complete deficit of communication at all levels among those overseeing the Congress campaign in the constituency.
Hype apart that there was anti-establishment sentiment prevalent among people, there was total absence of seriousness among the Barnala family to cash in on the opportunity. On the other hand, the SAD leadership put in the best possible efforts to grab snatch the seat from the Congress. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal managed the campaign at micro level, which helped to reach out to voters in an effective manner. It is true that he had deputed a phalanx of party leaders including sitting MPs, MLAs, ministers and others to win the seat, which was hardly countered by the Congress, which rather preferred to work as a divided house. Last but not the least, a number of Sangat Darshans of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal further tilted the scale in favour of the SAD candidate Gobind Singh Longowal.
