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Double anti-incumbency and clean image give AAP much-needed leeway in northern state

AAP (25K)May 3, 2014 - New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) could surprise itself in the northern state Punjab with better than expected result in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

While counted on Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to open its account in its debut parliamentary polls, it may end up winning the maximum number of seats from the state it never banked upon.

Pollsters say AAP may end up winning as many as three out of 13 Lok Sabha seats of Punjab when results of the nine-phased general elections are announced on May 16. Punjab voted on April 30 in the seventh phase.

One of the reasons for AAP’s cynical approach to Punjab was that the state never welcomed a third force while switching loyalties between the Congress party and the Shiromani Akali Dal. Akalis gained in strength after joining hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which had its pockets of influence among urban Hindu voters.

However, much to its surprise, AAP emerged a force to reckon with in no time as its electoral symbol broom gained in popularity, much to the chagrin of the Congress party and Akalis while upsetting all calculations.

“AAP selected right candidates with clean images and gave a hope that it can walk the talk and deliver,” said Dalbir Singh, a Jalandhar-based schoolteacher.

What went in AAP’s favour was the symbolic gesture of setting up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe 1984 anti-Sikh riots of Delhi while it was in power in Delhi for 49 days earlier this year.

Interestingly AAP perfectly fitted into the slot the regional Peoples Party of Punjab (PPP) had carved out for itself during its brief existence.

PPP was floated as a breakaway party by the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s nephew Manpreet Singh Badal after they parted ways. While PPP failed to make an impact, the party did poll over five per cent votes during 2007 state assembly election, helping the Akali-BJP combine retain power.

Manpreet realised his rebellion only helped his uncle as he split the anti-incumbency votes. A course correction by Manpreet ensured he merged PPP with the Congress party and is contesting on the Congress party symbol from Batinda where he has emerged as a serious threat to his sister-in-law Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the sitting MP from Akali Dal.

AAP easily occupied on the slot PPP had carved out for itself and gained due to prevailing double-layered anti-incumbency — one against the Congress party-led federal government and the other against the Akali-BJP ruled state government.

“Whatever AAP wins this time will just be a bonus. I guess it will be a serious contender for power in the 2017 assembly election,” said Mohinderpal Singh, a senior citizen of Amritsar.

 

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