Chandigarh: As Punjab goes to polls on Sunday, over 2.14 crore voters of the state would seal the fate of several titans in the fray. The poll results would be out on March 10.
There are a total of 1,304 candidates, including 117 each of all the main political parties – the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party, the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance and the combine of the BJP, former two-time chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Lok Congress and SAD (Sanyukt), an SAD splinter group.
This election also has the potential of making or marring the political standing of several key players.
Here is who and why.
CHARANJIT SINGH CHANNI, 58
The ruling Congress had sprung a surprise five months ago by appointing the three-time MLA from Chamkaur Sahib (district Rupnagar) as the state’s first Dalit CM after the exit of Capt Amarinder Singh following bad blood in the party. The second surprise came recently when he was named as chief ministerial candidate. Mild-mannered Channi took no time in settling down in the saddle and meticulously playing his ``humble background’’ and state’s ‘first Dalit CM’ cards.
He also aptly handled the flak over PM’s security breach and the ED raids at his nephew’s premises in connection with illegal sand business. Beside the Chamkaur Sahib (reserved) seat, he is also contesting from Bhadaur (reserved) seat. There is a fear of the consolidation of upper and dominating castes against him.
NAVJOT SINGH SIDHU, 58
A former Indian cricket team player, Navjot Singh Sidhu, who had won three Lok Sabha elections as BJP candidate since 2004, fell out with the saffron-Akali alliance after he was denied ticket in 2014, though he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha later. Resigning from the Upper House, Sidhu joined the Congress in 2017 and won Amritsar (east) assembly seat and was a minister in Capt Amarinder Singh’s government. He is seen as one of Amarinder’s main detractors and responsible for the Captain’s humiliating exit. He faces a high-stake battle with his bete noire SAD’s Bikram Singh Majithia in the same seat. He has more foes than friends in the party and outside.
BHAGWANT MANN, 48
The comedian-turned-politician Bhagwant Mann, a two-time MP from Sangrur and state president of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has been nominated as the chief ministerial face. Mann entered politics by contesting from Lehragaga assembly seat on People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) ticket in 2012, which he lost. Since PPP entered an alliance with the Congress, Mann subsequently joined AAP and has won two Lok Sabha polls from Sangrur since 2014. He is fighting from Dhuri assembly segment. One major irritant that he faces is Punjab AAP unit’s remote control from Delhi.
SUKHBIR SINGH BADAL, 59
Former deputy chief minister and the SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, who has struck an alliance with BSP, has managed to keep the party flock together after the entry of multiple parties in the fray this time. He has also kept up his fight against his rivals thus far, despite the absence of active support of his father, the SAD supremo and five-time CM, Parkash Singh Badal, 94, who is in political hibernation due to his age.
CAPT AMARINDER SINGH, 79
The two-time chief minister of Punjab and veteran politician, Capt Amarinder Singh appears to be taking on the contest with gusto despite his unceremonious exit as CM. The scion of the erstwhile Patiala princely state, Capt Amarinder Singh has floated his Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) and is going full throttle in alliance with the saffron party and SAD splinter group SAD (Sanyukt). He enjoys close ties with the BJP top leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He is fighting from his home turf Patiala (urban) seat. The PLC does not appear have a firm standing to this day.
ASHWANI SHARMA, 58
The Punjab BJP president for the second time (first time in 2010), Ashwani Sharma, is the low-profile face but one of the warhorses of the party. A staunch RSS activist and former BYJM president, he was also a legislator from Pathankot in 2012. Led by him, the saffron party withstood the backlash on the farm laws. He is fighting again from Pathankot seat. There are a few pockets where the BJP too is mired in infighting.
