Nationalism, religion to top LS poll agenda

Chandigarh: Just like the 2014 parliamentary elections, Punjab is again going to witness a multi-cornered contest for the 13 seats on May 19. Though the last elections were fought on people-centric issues of drugs and corruption, the current ones are likely to be fought on the emotive issue of sacrilege and nationalism.

Political observers feel that with parties trying to focus on nationalism and Panthic issues (religious) in the elections basic issues like price rise and water and power supply that affect the people are likely to be sidelined.

To score on the issue of nationalism from BJP-Aklali Dal, chief minister Amarinder Singh has been visiting the border districts after the recent India Pakistan stand off and captured the mood the people.

The chief minister had toured the state's border areas immediately after the IAF's Balakot airstrike in Pakistan. Taking the narrative to a whole new level, he interacted with border residents assuring them of government help and expressing solidarity with soldiers posted at the border areas.

The Congress is looking to improve its tally of three Lok Sabha seats in the coming elections.

The other major issue to dominate in Punjab during the elections is Panthic issues, which came to focus after sacrilege cases of Guru Granth Sahib at Bargair and fatal police firing on protesters at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan in 2015.

The pardon granted by the Akal Takht to now-jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurneet Rama Rahim in 2015 is also likely to figure hig on the list of Panthic issues during the Lok Sabha elections.

In both the cases, the Shariomani Akali Dal (SAD) is on the back foot. Yet, there are strong indications that the party's ally BJP will continue its alliance in the coming elections. In 2014, the SAD won four and the BJP won two seats.

The Akali Dal had to face a major rebellion as many of its senior leaders revolted against Parkash and Sukhbir Badal.

The SAD had to expel MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, his son Ravinder, former MP Rattan Singh Ajnala and his son Amarpal to quell rebellion.  

The dissent started in September, when Rajya Sabha MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa resigned from all posts.  Matters worsened when the Badals described the Bargari Insaaf 'Morcha' - an outfit demanding action and justice in sacrilege cases and the death of two youngsters in police firing during a protest in Behbal Kalan - as agents of the Congress and Pakistan's ISI

 The issue of the Behbal Kala firings came to dominate the Sikh religious-political discourse following the submission of Justice Ranjit Singh Commission report. With the general elections just weeks away, the SAD's political fortunes may take a hit if things do not go their way.

The 2014 elections were fought on totally different issues like rampant drug abuse in the state, corruption and change of status quo in Punjab politics as the AAP was trying to emerge as a new force in the state. The debutant AAP managed to win four seats in the last parliamentary elections.

The AAP won Sangrur, Faridkot, Fatjehgarh Sahib and Patiala by raising the drugs issue. In 2014, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal pointed an accusing figure towards Bikramjit Singh Majithia in drugs mafia cases. However, he later apologised to Mr Majithia after the latter filed a defamation case.