BJP in touch with Congress’ ‘unhappy’ lot in Punjab?

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 20

While former Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh is playing close to chest, leaving observers guessing over his next political move—whether he will favour the BJP or float his own party or stay in the Congress or act like a spoiler in the upcoming elections, sources say the BJP is “in touch with those affected/unhappy with latest political developments in the ruling party in Punjab, including the appointment of Charanjit Singh Channi as the new CM”.

Politics is a game of possibilities and all possibilities are open till the last move, they say, pointing to the “continuing infighting” in the ruling party even after the departure of Amarinder Singh from the Punjab CMO.

The BJP, which is contesting the Punjab elections on its own (so far) for the first time after the Akali Dal left the NDA alliance, is looking for strong candidates to contest and perhaps also lead as its Chief Ministerial candidate in the state.

Observers, too, believe it can benefit from association of any form with someone like Amarinder Singh with strong nationalist credentials, the main issue of the BJP and ideological fountainhead RSS.

With only the three farm legislations standing between him and the BJP, the observers say the saffron outfit may stand a good chance in Punjab if it decides to take a step back on the contentious issue or enacts a stringent law on the MSP, which Sangh affiliate Bharatiya Kisan Sangh is also demanding.

The BJP is keeping a close watch on developments in Punjab and intends to keep up the pressure on the new CM. Saffron leaders, who claim that “it will not be easy for the Congress to handle the change with Assembly elections barely a couple of months away”, intend to keep up the pressure against the new CM.

As they renewed the “MeToo” campaign against Channi, observers said Channi is “way too close to Navjot Singh Sidhu” and the elections “far too near” for him to “have an easy way in the run-up”.

Meanwhile, some in the saffron camp also believe the President’s Rule and early elections as among the possibilities for Punjab.