Suggesting that Punjab is on the boil will be an exaggeration. But, Punjab is ailing. Its economy is in a shambles. Industrial growth is stagnant. The state debt has spiralled out of control. Some sections of people in Punjab are restive. The farmers’ agitation that was allowed to drag unnecessarily for that long remains unresolved. Drug pedalling and addiction are still the toughest challenges. Gangster culture, although under control, has not been completely curbed. As if all that was not enough, the controversy over the scuffle between an army colonel and his son with some Patiala cops, that has resulted in protest demonstrations in his (colonel’s) support have only added to the beleaguered government’s woes.
Under such situation political parties play an important role to articulate and ventilate the public emotions and sentiments. Unfortunately, Punjab does not have a leader of that stature alive or active anymore, irrespective of the ruling or the opposition parties. Be it the ruling Aam Aadmi Party or the opposition Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal or the Bharatiya Janata Party, none of them have any seasoned and sagacious leader within their ranks who would fill the vacuum and at least offer some hope to people.
For decades Punjab had a strong political leadership, even during the days of terrorism. If terrorism in Punjab was finished within a decade, it was due to the presence of seasoned veterans across the political spectrum, who had an “unwritten agreement” amongst themselves that would rise over and above any partisan interests. That is why the Akali leadership, including Harchand Singh Longowal, Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Parkash Singh Badal, Capt Amarinder Singh (who had joined the Akali Dal after resigning from the Congress in protest against Operation Bluestar) and others provided alternate leadership and engaged with the government.
Similarly, there were veterans in the Congress like Giani Zail Singh, Darbara Singh, Buta Singh, Beant Singh and others. There were popular leaders in the BJP and the left parties as well. They did not let the political space remain vacant even in the face of existential threat to their own lives. They did stand for Punjab.
Among the veterans only Capt Amarinder Singh remains. However, he has practically taken a complete political sabbatical, if not having hung his boots. After resigning from the Congress, then forming his own party and eventually joining the BJP, the scion of the Patiala royal family is politically no longer active, although he keeps good health.
Also read: The air we breathe
It is the next rung of leadership that is in control of all the political parties in Punjab. The ruling AAP being just a 13-year-old political party is headed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. He obviously does not come with much political or administrative experience; nor do his ministerial colleagues, all of whom, like him, are first timers.
Giving Mann his due, he does possess leadership qualities like a sharp witty mind, gift of the gab and popularity among the people. However, his lack of experience is causing a handicap, which is being witnessed during the day-to-day working of the government. But this lack of experience is not exclusive to him. Everyone has faced it and also admitted it.
Among the opposition parties, in the Congress, while a relatively young Amarinder Singh Raja Warring is the PCC president, there are others like Partap Singh Bajwa, Charanjit Singh Channi, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa who are among the senior most, but do not command much influence across the state.
The Akali Dal is faced with an existential crisis. The drift had started even while Parkash Singh Badal was alive. But after his demise, there has been a continuous fall. His son, Sukhbir Singh Badal is no longer the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, although he has complete control over one of the party factions. But his credibility as a leader, right now, is at its nadir.
The BJP does not have any influential leader of its own within its ranks, although they can boast about Capt Amarinder Singh and Sunil Jakhar, both of whom have joined the party after having resigned from the Congress. Although Jakhar was appointed as the state BJP Chief, he somehow was not able to make much of an impact. Jakhar incidentally enjoys the unique distinction of having remained the state president of both the Congress as well as the BJP.
Punjab is desperately waiting for a leader to emerge with whom the majority of people would relate and identify. Right now, none of the leaders can claim to match the stature of their immediate predecessors. This is probably because people feel completely disillusioned, believing that everyone has failed and disappointed them. It is a challenge for the entire political leadership to win back the confidence of people, not necessarily exactly in the same way as in the past, but at least with some credibility and acceptability.
Follow us
