JOIN USAfter all, Friday’s announcement of a new political outfit by former BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu for the Punjab elections remains his second choice - the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) being his first.
But Sidhu was cast away both by the AAP and BJP. With time ticking, the former cricketer was left with little options. He burnt bridges with the BJP amidst the dilemma of shaking hands with the Congress, which unsuccessfully tried to win him over. But its a tough road ahead for the new political outfit, dubbed as a fourth front of sorts.
The Punjab elections have essentially been personality-driven and largely a two-party contest. Independent political fronts have often tasted dust like Manpreet Badal’s PPP-led Sanjha Morcha, which won not one of the total 117 seats, although it secured about 5% of the vote share - enough to inflict a defeat on the Congress at the hands of the SAD-BJP combine in the last Assembly elections. Manpreet’s PPP is today a part of the Congress.
After New Delhi, Punjab has been AAP’s favourite political turf. The ensuing election early next year throws open various possibilities in the wake of the changing dynamics and political narrative here. Swaraj Abhiyan founder Yogendra Yadav will play a certain role. In fact, Sidhu’s political outfit is said to have his involvement, denials apart.
Until recently, the AAP manifested sufficient groundswell. That’s now taking a severe beating with its house in utter disarray. This is what may offer strength to Sidhu’s outfit.
There’s rebellion in Punjab AAP and many of AAP’s disgruntled leaders, the likes of axed state convener Chhotepur, suspended AAP MP Dr Dharamvir Gandhi and others will be willing to extend support to Sidhu’s Awaaze-e-Punjab. The five leaders of the new outfit stand a chance to win. But Sidhu’s challenge lies in bringing on board credible faces, including possibly axed senior Congress leaders Jagmeet Brar or even Capt Singh’s bete noire Bir Devinder. This could hijack, in fact suitably dent, AAP’s projection of fielding candidates with a clean image.