Three-cornered contest in Phagwara

Ashok Kaura

Phagwara, January 16

Political tussle between sitting BJP MLA Som Parkash and the president of the state unit of the party Vijay Sampla and their supporters could increase in the next few days as with the announcement of the candidature of Som Parkash, a triangular contest in Phagwara Assembly seat would be witnessed during the next 17 days.

The result too could well be surprising. The contest between Congress candidate Joginder Singh Maan, BJP candidate Som Parkash and AAP candidate Jarnail Nangal also promises to be quite interesting.

On the one hand, the BJP is seen divided into two factions. Meanwhile, the block, district and even the state unit of the BJP remained steadfast in its opposition to Som Parkash and wanted to allot the party ticket to Mohan Lal, son of former minister Swarana Ram.

Mohan Lal has recently joined the BJP. Though Som Parkash, a former IAS officer, made efforts for the development of Phagwara, a corporation town, he could not get the support of BJP activists or official units formed by Punjab BJP president Sampla.

The factionalism in the Congress is also no different from that in the BJP as the Congress is divided into two different factions led by Maan, himself a candidate, and the previously defeated Congress candidate Balbir Raja Sodhi. Sodhi too has applied for a party ticket but the request for a ticket by his wife Rani Sodhi denied. Because of this, deep resentment among Sodhi and his supporters could be witnessed. Sodhi himself lost the assembly elections in 2012.

Contesting the assembly elections will also be much more difficult for Aam Aadmi Party candidate Jarnail Nagal who will have to face internal infighting in the party as former ADC Sukhminder Singh Marar and social activist Harish Banga were ticket seekers.

Moreover, Nangal could not get the support of the media. He contested the last assembly elections on a BSP ticket and joined the Congress last year, but quit the party and joined AAP with the understanding that he would get the party ticket. Nangal too lost the assembly elections in 2012 with a big margin to BJP candidate Som Parkash.