Uphill task for Congress to repeat 2017 show in Majha

Tribune News Service

GS Paul

Amritsar, February 18

While the Congress is likely to incur significant losses in terms of tally and may find it hard to repeat the resounding mandate it received in 2017, it still has a slight edge in the border belt of Majha.

On voter’s mind

Drugs | Unemployment | Canal water in border area | Poor infra | Easy access for farmers to land across fencing

Majha sends 25 MLAs to the Vidhan Sabha, comprising Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts.

The Congress, which had pocketed 22 seats last time, may have to face the backlash for its failure to curb the drug menace, punish the guilty in the Bargari case or deliver on its “ghar ghar naukri” promise. Besides, differences within the party and brightening up of SAD’s prospects in this Panthic belt pose challenge. In the 2022 Assembly polls, the votes may be split between the SAD and Congress, with neck and neck fight in some key constituencies.

The SAD, which had to contend with just two seats the last time, has revived in the area to some extent and many of its prominent candidates may register victories. In Tarn Taran district and rural parts of Amritsar and Gurdaspur, the Akalis have made their presence felt with strong campaigning.

The SAD has an additional advantage of the SGPC playing the “Panthic card” on its behalf. For the first time in 37 years, the bullet-riddled saroop of the Guru Granth Sahib “injured” during Operation Bluestar, along with the bullet that had pierced through 95 angs were put on public display. Similarly, the 1955 attack on the Golden Temple complex to scuttle Punjabi Suba Morcha and 1984 Op Bluestar were raked up.

The AAP, which could not open its account in 2017, has failed to penetrate significantly, although it has influence on scattered pockets of the region, with party supremo Arvind Kejriwal making repeated rounds of the region. Ironically, the voters who look for “change” talk about jhadu (broom) but how much of this sentiment translates into votes is not clear, as most of their candidates remained “unknown faces” in most of the seats.

The BJP is contesting without the Akalis for the first time. Though its vote share could increase, there may be negligible rise in its seat tally. In 2017, only one seat, Sujanpur, went into its kitty.

The Congress has a stout line-up in Majha, which includes PCC head Navjot Sidhu in Amritsar East, working president Sukhwinder Danny Bandala in Jandiala Guru, Deputy CM OP Soni in Amritsar Central, Sukhbinder Sarkaria in Raja Sansi and Raj Kumar Verka in Amritsar West.

Similarly, Deputy CM Sukhjinder Randhawa commands sound position in Dera Baba Nanak, Tript Rajinder Bajwa in Fatehgarh Churian, Aruna Chaudhary in Dinanagar and former PCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa in Qadian.

On the high-profile seat of Amritsar East, where Sidhu is pitted against SAD’s Bikram Singh Majithia, sources say Sidhu’s rivals within the party have been backing Majithia. Yet, Sidhu is on a strong footing on this Congress-dominated seat, whereas the SAD has been making a debut and has to start from the scratch. Earlier, SAD’s estranged partner BJP used to field its candidate from the seat. Given the political profile of both candidates, who have remained undefeated till now, the balance may tilt either way with a thin margin.

KEY SEATS

MAJHA

Amritsar East: PCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu is up against SAD’s Bikram Singh Majithia

Amritsar North: AAP’s Kunwar Vijay Partap is challenging SAD’s Anil Joshi and Congress’ Sunil Dutti

Khadoor Sahib: SAD’s Ranjit Singh Brahampura is contesting against Ramanjit Singh Sikki (Congress)

Batala: Ashwani Sekhri (Congress), Sucha Singh Chhotepur (SAD), Fateh Jung Bajwa (BJP) and Sherry Kalsi (AAP) are locked in tough fight

Qadian: Partap Singh Bajwa (Congress), Jagroop Singh Sekhwan (AAP), Guriqbal Singh Mahal (SAD)

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Tribune News Service

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