M A I N   N E W S

PUNJAB POLL — AN OVERVIEW
Lambi and beyond: Yeh dil mange more
Hari Jaisingh

Lambi, February 10
A visit to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's constituency is an eye-opener. It is a little paradise in Punjab. It has all possible modern facilities and amenities—pucca well-lit streets, out-water nullahs, a sport club, a stadium, health centres and what not. Farmers are happy with free electricity and other benefits that go with Jat power.

Even Scheduled Caste and Backward Class people have benefited from Mr Badal's various plans—the Shagun Scheme, old age pension, free five-marla plots and 100 units of free electricity for domestic use, etc.

There are big water drains in each village. The problem of water- logging in the area, too, has been solved by digging drains.

Voters in Lambi are, indeed, a privileged lot. One feels the difference between Lambi and beyond. As soon as the constituency area ends, the road becomes bumpy and jumpy.

Lambi is all set to put Mr Badal on the victory pedestal, though with a reduced margin.

The Punjab voter today is both assertive and demanding. The setting is very much akin to what a famous soft-drink advertisement conveyed: "Yeh dil mange more," which means moving away from the old dictum: "Thoray se guzara hota hai." That is as an English poet put it: "Contentment is the true basis of happiness in life."

In a way, this exposes a serious flaw in the prevailing highly selective and lopsided approach to development.

Dependence on government doles is a double-edged weapon. It cuts both ways: it gives power, but at the same time, it also cuts the very silken threads of power, if not properly handled.

The problem with Mr Badal is that he has not been able to manage his instruments of power for his long-term political benefits.

In any case, the political face of Punjab is changing, so is the political arithmetic.

Democracy has turned a full circle in Punjab. The campaigning in the state is shrill but colourful in tune with the temperament of the people.

There is no fear in the air. The gun of militancy years seems to have been silenced. There are pockets of frustration and discontent across the state. But life moves on. So are the politicians seeking votes at any price.

There is nothing like solid vote blocks in different sub-regions of Doaba, Majha and Malwa.

The BJP stronghold in urban Punjab looks vulnerable to Congress challenge. The SAD's traditional rural base is somewhat shaky but not lost. The Panthic Morcha may cut into its votebank in some close-contest constituencies.

The people may not be all enthusiastic. But they are not disinterested either. Their only frustration is that the leaders of the SAD, the BJP, the Congress, the CPM, the CPI, the BSP and the Panthic Morcha are not addressing the issues that concern them.

"Who cares for poor conditions at primary health centres and schools, lack of drinking water and inadequate farm returns?" an old-timer told me bitterly.

"Where are jobs for educated youngsters," a youth remarked.

Frustration is writ large on the faces of youth. Of course, they are not without hope. But they wish to have a better deal.

It is the educated jobless youth who in the past were ready combustible material for militancy in Punjab. They would hate to see a revival of those nightmarish days.

"We want a more responsive leadership and administration that can set in motion a new thought process so that hard realities of development are handled properly," this is the common cry of youth.

"We should take Punjab on a fast track of development. Politicians indulge in shadow-boxing. They talk of irrelevant matters whereas the real issues remain unaddressed. Take the case of the SYL canal. Why have they failed to settle this matter with Haryana? Everything is left to courts to decide. This is not acceptable," an old-timer stated.

"Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal could have taken the initiative to sort out the SYL canal issue with his Haryana counterpart, Mr O. P. Chautala, utilising his friendly terms with the latter. Development matters should not become part of votebank politics," a lawyer in Amritsar remarked in anguish.

In the absence of main issues coming to the fore, a lot of trivial matters have become part of competitive politics of different political parties.

Of course, one thing everybody concedes is that the biggest contribution of Mr Badal in Punjab during the past five years has been Hindu-Sikh harmony.

"This is not a small thing. This in itself is a big achievement," an active BJP worker pointed out. Indeed, this is a silver lining in the politics of mudslinging and rhetoric. As a matter of fact, Mr Badal is seen today as a leader who is broadly acceptable to both communities irrespective of whether he remains the Chief Minister or not.

Democracy in Punjab has, indeed, come alive and ready to kick out undesirable characters and welcome some new faces. The people want change.

Interestingly, unlike in UP, there are no criminals in the poll fray in Punjab. However, the name of the game is power. The fight among the rivals is bitter, issues or no issues.