The change in Akali Dal’s strategy is reflected by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s apparent take-over of the overall command of the party’s electoral battle for 2012 Assembly elections. The battle was hitherto being spearheaded by his son Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh. Badal who had earlier adopted a low profile in party’s electioneering has now become hyper active as indicated by the extensive mass contact drive he has started. During the campaign he is promising concessions, announcing new projects and granting funds for local level developmental schemes.

Badal, no doubt, is the Akali Dal’s biggest vote catcher and his amiable and mild nature and vast political experience coupled with Sukhvir’s proven organisational skills, it was hoped, would help Slukhbir lead the party to the victory stand. But the new challenges that pose a threat to the party’s ambition have forced Badal to take the electioneering’s overall command and start extensive campaign.

The first challenge mainly targeted against Sukhbir came from his cousin and former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh’s rebellion following his expulsion from the party and the ministry. It was feared that the party’s disgruntled elements which were not few would start rallying around Manpreet. This had even started happening.

The second challenge which forced Badal to become hyperactive even at his advanced age of 83 is the appointment of the Badals main political foe Capt. Amarinder Singh as Punjab Congress President. Obviously Badal felt that it was beyond Sukhbir to meet political challenges posed by the Capt. and Manpreet. In view of these developments Sukhbir’s elevation before the 2012 elections might prove counter-productive. Hence, Sukhbir’s coronation may take place only after the elections if –and it is a big If- the Akali Dal returns to power.

That Manpreet’s parting of ways would create problems for Akali Dal was evident from the nervousness visible in the Badal camp soon after Manpreet’s ouster. It was feared that his exit would harm the party in the Akali stronghold Malwa, particularly in the Badal family’s home turf where Badal’s brother Gurdas Badal enjoys considerable influence.

Badals efforts to neutralize the Manpreet-Gurdas’s clout have evidently not yielded the desired results. An indication of this was provided by the massive crowd that thronged Manpreet’s Maghi Mela rally at Muktsar on January 14. This was despite the lack of an organizational set-up and the reported hurdles by the government in transporting Mnpreet’s supporters to the rally. The crowds at Manpret rally were only a shade lesser than those in the Akali rally which had the support of official machinery.

Power ambitions often prompt political parties to adopt double-faced policies. To make it eligible for contesting elections Akali Dal had declared itself as a secular party. But in actions, it uses religion for its political campaigning. At its Maghi Mela rally it even ignored Akal Takht directive asking political parties to confine their lectures to religious discourses in conferences held at festivals. But it was only politics that dominated Akali Dal rally’s proceedings.

Habits, particularly of Congressmen, die hard. Although Punjab Congress woke up from its prolonged hibernation after the appointment of Capt. Amarinder Singh as its state Congress chief, there have been little efforts to gear up the rejuvenated party’s organizational set-up to meet the ensuing electoral challenge. This was evident from the lesser attendance at the party’s Maghi Mela rally as compared to Akali Dal and Manpret’s rallies. One significant aspect of the Congress rally, however, was the demonstration of unity in the faction-ridden party. In an important development which is crucial in galvanizing the party organization was the ready accessibility to party workers and social mixing started by Amarinder after taking over his new as President. But unless he changes his easy-going life style, the positive effects of his fresh attributes will start diminishing.

The eruption of fresh tremors in Akali-BJP relations has resulted from the demand by some district-level BJP leaders to create new districts. In the past, the Akali-BJP relations were often soured by the state BJP leadership’s demands for spoils of office or ending indiscrimination in providing funds for development of BJP constituencies. These irritants, however, used to be sorted out through a give-and-take approach. It is their dependability on each other for sticking to power which has hitherto compelled them to compromises even on some crucial matters.

But as it is the BJP’s grassroots level functionaries who are campaigning for the creation of new districts, it has created a situation the coalition partners would find it hard to resolve.

The foregoing political scenario poses problems for all the three mainstream parties of Punjab. How they overcome the perceived tricky situations would play a crucial role in deciding their electoral fortunes in the 2012 Assembly elections. (IPA Service)