Page 38 - 31MAR2019E

SAD-BJP combine

prospects in Punjab

not very bright

The political alliance will have to wait for the ruling Congress to make mistakes in the next
few years so that anti-incumbency could grow in the state. SAD also needs to ensure that AAP
does not fill the vacuum expected to be created by Congress, writes rajendra khatry

he quitting of senior Shirom- Sukhbir Singh Badal as the main reason bir Badal in the past and even helped
ani Akalri Dal (SAD) lead- behind leaving the SAD. In fact with the him win elections, complained that on
ers including Ranjit Singh Congres having gained strength in Pun- many occasions he was not invited to
Brahmpura, Rattan Singh jab in the lst two years it was not very attend party meetings. Many times he
T Ajnala and now Sher Singh difficult for him to see on which side was not involved or consulted in the
Ghubaya have weakened the party the grass was greener. With the Lok party matters or while taking crucial
even as the strength of the Congress Sabha elections drawing near and the decisions. This, despite the fact, that he
has been going up. The Aam Aadmi Par- Congress likely to win most of the seats has been party MP twice.
ty (AAP) too has seen serious trouble in in Punjab, Ghubaya must have wanted Ghubaya claimed that SAD leader-
the party’s ranks and file. The 2019 Lok to place himself in a winning situation ship even discouraged him from active
Sabha elections will therefore present from the party in power in state. participation in Parliament. He was not
a much different political picture. The For quite some time Ghubaya, an even given time to ask any questions
Congress is claiming it will win all the important Rai Sikh leader who has got a in the Parliament. Now Ferozepur MP
13 LS seats at stake. Will the SAD-BJP good hold in the Rai Sikh community in Sher Singh Ghubaya who joined the
alliance able to stop the Congress par- Ferozpur and surrounding reions had Congress in the presence of party presi-
ty’s victory campaign? AAP also seems been claiming that he had been side- dent Rahul Gandhi, AICC in charge for
unlikely to repeat its tally of 4 seats in lined by the SAD leadership. Ghubaya, Punjab Asha Kumari and Punjab Con-
2014 LS polls. who has been a close friend of Sukh- gress president Sunil Jakhar is likely to
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) get the Ferozpur ticket for the forth-
has suffered setbacks one after coming Parliament elections, accord-
the other in the past few months. The relations between ing to sources. However, Congress min-
Even before the party could recov- ister Rana Sodhi and his son are also
er quitting of senior SAD leaders Ghubaya and SAD among ticket applicants from Ferozpur
including Ranjit Singh Brahmpura and president Sukhbir Lok Sabha constitency. Ferozpur is con-
Rattan Singh Ajnala, another senior sidered an important seat by all par-
leader and Member of Parliament from Singh Badal had been ties. Ghubaya or no Ghuyaba, SAD will
Ferozpur, Sher Singh Ghubaya left the tense for the past one be keen to retain its hold on the seat.
party to join the ruling Congress. How- There have been talks recently that SAD
ever, to save its face the SAD claimed it year. It finally resulted could field its president Sukhbir Singh
had expelled Ghubaya. Badal this time from this seat.
There is no doubt that the relations in Ghubaya leaving In 2016 Sher Singh Ghubaya’s son
between Ghubaya and SAD president the party in a huff. Davinder Ghubaya joined the Congress
Sukhbir Singh Badal had been tense party. This was the beginning of the dif-
for the last one year. It finally resulted He blamed ‘wrong ferences between Sher Singh Ghubaya
in Ghubaya leaving the SAD in a huff. policies’ of the leader and SAD leadership. Congress gave on
In his resignation letter, Ghubaya cit- Davinder Ghubaya ticket from Fazilka
ed ‘wrong policies’ of party president for the move seat. Davinder Ghubaya went on to

Tehelka / 31 march 2019 38 www.Tehelka.com