AAP looks to strike balance between farmers, traders in Punjab

Chandigarh, October 29

The AAP may be keeping its cards close to its chest with regards to the chief ministerial candidate for the 2022 Assembly polls. But the party’s specific target on certain vote banks is creating a flutter in the political spectrum.

While the party’s support to protesting farmers is no secret, the recent targeted meetings of its supremo Arvind Kejriwal with top industrialists is creating a buzz. After he met industrialists in Ludhiana and Jalandhar recently, Kejriwal held discussions with them in Bathinda.

“Kejriwal is meeting industrialists and farmers so as to understand what they are looking for from a government, so that the manifesto of the party can revolve around their needs,” a senior party leader told The Tribune.

Having learnt their lesson in the last state elections, when in spite of an initial groundswell in their favour, their chances of success at the hustings were frittered away, the party is now trying to create a balance between the left-oriented peasantry and the capitalist trade and industry, so as to keep both segments enthused.

Besides, the repeated raising of issues concerning the Scheduled Caste community, including the post-matric scholarship scam, is helping the AAP touch upon SC voters. Even though the Congress has appointed Charanjit Singh Channi, a Ramdassia Sikh as CM, AAP leaders say it will have little impact on swaying Dalit votes.

The main issue, however, remains the unwillingness of the party to name their CM candidate. So far, the only statement on the issue was given by Kejriwal a few months ago, saying the party candidate will be a Sikh. With the state’s ever-changing political dynamics, there has been a reverse polarisation of Hindu and Jat Sikh votes. The party is is mulling having a person from either of the two religions as its CM face. — TNS