AAM AADMI PARTY AT CROSSROADS IN PUNJAB, ITS MISSION 2017 IN DOLDRUMS

Chandigarh, July 18: “Saada Khwab, Nawan Punjab” is the slogan of the Aam Aadmi Party for Punjab Mission 2017 as boldly displayed on its national website with a line at the bottom that reads, “Punjab is at the crossroads of change, and the Aam Aadmi is leading this revolution towards a new and strong Punjab.”
The target is lofty and people seem to be in a mood to repose faith in this outfit but the problem is that it has already started betraying the hope of the people going by the deepening factionalism leading to expulsions, allegations and counter allegations. The latest is the expulsion of Punjab’s disciplinary action committee chairman Dr Daljeet Singh himself for expressing his frank opinion. AAP too seems to be becoming victim of masked authoritarianism. The party is at crossroads in Punjab, the only state where it succeeded in opening its account in the Lok Sabha elections by winning four seats.
At one level, it is infected by the same virus as the Congress in the state and that too even before its viable organisational structure has emerged. At least three of its four MPs are feeling alienated and frustrated as the state party leadership is not in sync with these elected representatives. The party is urgently in need of course correction before it is too late.One would have expected that the behaviour pattern of the party talking of alternative politics might be different from the run of the mill political parties but it is not as it is ambition and egoism that has come to dominate it’s so called leadership. The tragedy is that the party is still to have some effective leadership that has the capacity to make forceful intervention in state’s political discourse. The party is identified with political lightweights.
After the expulsion of some leaders following turmoil at the top level leading to the expulsion of Yoginder Yadav and Parshant Bhushan, the axe also fell on some state leaders. Dr Dharam Vira Gandhi, the MP from Patiala, who raised his voice of dissent against what he attacked as dictatorship in the party. Dr Gandhi has been a social and political activist all his life.However, it was the recent decision of its state working committee to seek replacement of Sucha Sinbgh Chhotepur as the party convenor that caused ripples. The political circles in the state were surprised when AAP picked up Chhotepur, virtually a non-entity from Gurdaspur and entrusted him with the big responsibility.However, the party high command took certain steps by way of appointing 13 zonal chiefs which against has triggered further controversy. The team of the party that has been working in the state for the last some weeks to assess the situation should have realised by now as to what was the problem and how to go about it as the people in the state are too vocal. Going by the anger among the people against the Akali Dal-BJP government, AAP should have been in the forefront by taking up concerns of the people but the party suffers from lack of visibility as the party is banking upon the people who have little organising capacity.
Dr Daljeet Singh was never a mass leader but he commands a lot of respect among the people as a pioneer in cheaper eye surgery. None could question his sincerity to the organisation. This is unlikely to stem the tide and put an end to dissent. The reason for dissatisfaction are too obvious and not superficial. In case the party want to have its footprint in another state, Punjab is the most fertile ground but the problem is with its dwarf leadership.In the Lok Sabha elections, the people did not bother about the leadership issue and decided to vote for unknown faces like that of Harinder Singh Khalsa and Prof Sadhu Singh. They did not approach people for votes and they continue to be elusive. The people want change and it is for AAP to provide them the alternative for which it would have to set its house in order. The race is already on for Mission 2017 but AAP is not even on the starting line.