M A I N   N E W S

Punjab poll may be held before schedule
P.P.S. Gill
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 11
Circumstantial evidence is a pointer that the Punjab Assembly poll may be held before schedule, i.e. February, 2002.

The Akalis, for the first time, will complete a five-year term. But is it enough to make them buoyant? They certainly feel elated while talking about the overall “development” or “achievements” during the past five years.

However, in the process, they do not forget their favourite whipping boy — the Congress — blaming it for all ills of the state, be it corruption, denial of water and territory (including Chandigarh), poor economy (financial mess), Operation Bluestar or anti-Sikh riots following the killing of Indira Gandhi.

May that be so. The Akali leadership is conscious of the simmering discontent both in the organisational and legislative wings. The problems are known but the remedies have not been found. This has resulted in the growth of small, frustrated groups and power-centres, mostly unorganised but covertly aided by senior Akalis (including ministers), who lack the courage to confront the party president.

This is, perhaps, one of the reasons why the SAD’s political affairs committee vested all powers to select candidates for the next assembly elections and striking poll-alliances in the party chief. Though a conglomeration of splinter factions and disgruntled Akalis has cobbled up the Panthic Morcha, the real battle still remains between the ruling SAD alliance BJP and the Congress.

To stem tides of dissent and avoid pressure tactics, the system of ticket allocation has been changed. Will it alter alliances (within and outside the SAD) and reverse the trend of those whose allegiance lies elsewhere within the Akali folds?

Wherever there are apprehensions of political correctives becoming too obvious while setting the Akali house in order, the next best course applied is to post such civil and police officers whose “loyality” is not doubtful. No wonder, officers are being shuffled and reshuffled on a daily basis. This is yet another pointer to an early poll.

Now, wheels-within-wheels in the Akali machine are visible, making noises in some of the Assembly constituencies. As an illustrated example, look at Rampura Phul in Bathinda, Patti and Naushehra Pannua in Amritsar, Banur and Nabha in Patiala. It is again a pointer that to maintain ‘’discipline’’ order has to be restored before the elections. Hence, the one-man command is operation.

Therefore, sources say, as a measure of political checks and balances, postings of particular bureaucrats (handpicked) as secretaries or managing directors here or in the field is done with the purpose to clip the wings of the ministers, some of whom find themselves doubly unblessed because of opposition from within the party as well as from the Congress. Some Congressmen claim more proximity to the powers that be in the SAD than even the Akalis.

Such of the civil and police bureaucrats who have got appointed are said to have close political associations. So much so that at times, these links come in the way of administrative discipline and accountability.

Besides the accelerated activity in the Akali citadel, including the SGPC, the way the Chief Minister mobilised the support of Haryana and Andhra Pradesh chief ministers to demand a higher price for paddy and all-out efforts being made to ensure that “surplus” states did not suffer electorally again shows that the Assembly elections may be round the corner. A hassle-free procurement at remunerative prices is a crucial poll point for the Akalis.

A joint meeting of SAD-BJP MLAs is scheduled for August 13. The Akalis, since February 1997, have well nursed their rural constituencies, notwithstanding criticism from within the party as well as by the Opposition. Yet, there is reassessment as to how many seats Akalis would win. All is not rosy.

This has obviously left the BJP fretting and fuming and not without its own share of internal conflicts, contradictions and internecine wars. The BJP President has often embarrassed the Chief Minister with his outbursts. The party wants its pound of flesh knowing well that without the Akali support it stands a poor chance of winning any Assembly seat. Had it not been an appendix of the SAD, it would not have won 18 seats in February, 1997.

The BJP, of course, has some genuine points on which the ‘’big’’ brother has failed it. It feels ignored.

Notwithstanding the lacklustre performance of its own ministers, it is demanding a larger share of the ticket. Octroi has been abolished but an alternative source to fund the municipalities has not been found. It is recent history how the BJP has been opposed to the levy of taxes, demanding free power for the urban poor and a string of concessions for business, trade and small industries.

The SAD-BJP alliance held closed-door meetings in the past where it was agreed to have a horizontal and vertical “joint consultative machinery” for synchronised operations. But these agreements have remained on paper while the rank and file have distanced themselves from the alliance.

The Congress, after August 31, 1995, has remained in a state of flux. Leaderless and direction-less. Neither Mr Harcharan Singh Brar nor Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal succeeded in making the party stand on its feet. The role of Capt Amarinder Singh has not been any better. Factionalism persists in the party.

One thing, however, is clear. People and members of parties are angry with the alliance. Besides the distribution of the ticket and the role of the prodigal son, it will be difficult for the ruling coalition to brush contentious issues like police excesses, soft-peddling on militants like Wassan Singh Zaffarwal, Jagjit Singh Chohan, corruption and nepotism under the carpet. Neither old and emotive issues nor claims of development and Congress-bashing, are likely to have any impact on the voters.

For the SAD-BJP alliance, Mr Parkash Singh Badal is the best bet. The Opposition is yet to find a match to him.