All in the family for Congress in Punjab, but will it work?

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 26

With Assembly elections round the corner, influential political families remain a key to the electoral success of the Congress with the party again fielding a host of candidates representing dynasties.

Leading the list is Capt Amarinder Singh, Punjab Congress president, whose wife and sitting Patiala MLA Preneet Kaur withdrew in his favour.

In Nawashahr, MLA Guriqbal Babli willingly passed on the baton to son Angad Saini who at 25 years became the youngest Congress candidate.

In Qadian, MLA Charanjit Bajwa “sacrificed” her seat for brother-in-law Fatehjang Bajwa, the brother of former Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa.

Fatehjang previously lost two elections from segments other than Qadian, considered a family seat of Bajwas.

The first list of 61 Congress candidates for Punjab has many examples of political families retaining their segments themselves or getting in their wards.

Sukhwinder Danny, a candidate from Jandiala reserved segment, is the son of ex-minister Sardool Singh.

Re-nominated MLAs Sukhjinder Randhawa from Dera Baba Nanak and Tript Rajinder Bajwa from Fatehgarh Churian come from acclaimed political families.

Sitting Khanna MLA Gurkirat Kotli, the grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, has been fielded again to defend the seat.

Former Union Minister Manish Tewari, in the race for Ludhiana East ticket, also has a rich family history of politics.

Insiders say the Congress attempted to reform the practice of “overdose of dynasties” this time by sticking to the one ticket per family rule.

This rule however triggered a new wave of applications with several members of one political family applying for the same seat to make sure it remains with them.

So among Khem Karan seat applicants were three of the well known local Congress family of Bhullars. GS Bhullar, the patriarch, and past contestant from here, applied so did his elder son Anoop Singh and younger son Sukhpal Singh. Congress gave the ticket to Sukhpal Singh against Bhullar’s wishes.

In Kartarpur SC segment, Congress leaders admit to fielding Surender Singh, the son of late Dalit leader Jagjit Singh, as there were no other potential candidates.

In Sham Chaurasi SC seat, ex-union MoS Santosh Choudhry is an applicant along with her daughter.

In Lehra, sitting MLA and former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal wanted her son fielded but the party re-nominated her.

Similarly in Sanaur, MLA Lal Singh continues to pitch for his son as a candidate plus a seat swap for him to Samana.

The Congress is concerned if they shift Lal Singh or his son elsewhere, who will defend Sanaur for the party.

“The problem is these people from dynasties have not groomed anyone for the future,” says a senior leader.

Even Congress’ new candidate from Gurdaspur Barinderjit Pahra comes from a political family. His grandfather was an MLA and a senior Akali leader.

Asked how dynasties will fare in Punjab given the new wave of politics unleashed by the Aam Aadmi Party, a Congress insider said, “The importance of political families in Congress stems from the fact that Congress is a movement born from struggles, It’s not a cadre based party. While there is no harm in fielding active wards of political dynasts, one does not know how these candidates will fare.

The AAP has fielded common people with mass appeal among voters. After all no one had heard of Dharamvir Gandhi until he decimated Preneet Kaur in Patiala Lok Sabha elections.”