Forgoing its alliance dreams in Punjab after failed talks with various parties, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has decided to go all alone for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in the State on May 19.
The AAP, which had taken a lead by announcing five of its candidates in October the previous year, may soon announce the names of its remaining nominees or eight seats by next week.
The party’s core committee has reportedly shortlisted the names of the panel of two-three candidates, which would
get the final nod by the Central Political Affairs Committee (PAC).
Five years after the AAP managed to find a foothold in Punjab during 2014 parliamentary polls by bagging four seats, it was marred by the differences cropping within its state leadership leading to vertical split in the party. To make up for its weaknesses, the party had decided to fight the parliamentary polls in alliance with other parties, but its parleys with various factions failed to materialise.
During this period, two sitting MPs, out of total four, and eight MLAs, out of 20, rebelled against the party. Among these, two MLAs — Sukhpal Khaira and Master Baldev Singh Jaiton — have left the party to float a new outfit, Punjabi Ekta Party (PEP). Both of them are contesting the ensuing elections under the banner of Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA)—a conglomeration of six political parties.
Party’s sitting MP from Patiala Dr Dharamvir Gandhi is also contesting as PDA candidate to retain his seat.
AAP refused to be the part of PDA, and initiated talks with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Notably, BSP has a substantial support in the Doaba region where AAP failed to grab any seat even in 2017 State Assembly elections. However, BSP ended up being the part of the grand-alliance — PDA.
Later, AAP also hold talks with the SAD (Taksali) — a breakaway faction of the Akali Dal — which failed to take shape as both parties put their foot down to field their candidate from Sri Anandpur Sahib as both parties had already announced their candidates for the seat. The party also reportedly tried to enter into alliance with the Congress, but that too hit a dead-end.
The party has now decided to field the party workers and volunteers, who have been working for the party at the field, and not allotting tickets to the “outside political leaders”.
It has been learnt that the list prepared by the party’s core group included the names of party’s general secretary from Patiala and the former president of party’s ex-servicemen wing Colonel Bhalinder Singh, employees’ leader Hari Singh Tohra, trade cell head Nina Mittal, and Patiala district president Chetan Singh Jodemajra for the Patiala seat after its sitting MP Dr Gandhi parted ways.
As the party’s another MP from Fatehgarh Sahib Harinder Singh Khalsa has been placed under suspension for anti-party activities in 2015, the party is looking for a “winning candidate” to replace him.
For the reserved seat, AAP may decide between Baljinder Singh and party’s women wing leader Sukhwinder Kaur.
AAP has shortlisted the names of Bhupinder Singh Bittu, youth wing president Manjinder Singh Sidhu and intellectual cell head Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal ffor Khadoor Sahib constituency.
Available information suggests that the party may field Justice (retired) Zora Singh, who headed the panel to probe sacrilege cases set up by the previous SAD-BJP government, from Jalandhar constituency.
Party’s Jalandhar urban unit president Dr Shivdyal Singh Mali was also being considered for the reserved constituency.
It has been learnt that the party is considering to field its local leader Suresh Goyal from Ludhiana, while from Ferozepur, it has picked out Malwa’s youth wing head Sukhraj Gora, Bhupinder Kaur, Kaka Brar and Jaspinder Jakhar.
From Bathinda, party is considering the names of Amrit Aggarwal, district president Navdeep Jida, Principal Inderjit Singh Bhagta, Bhupinder Bansal and youth leader Rajan. From Gurdaspur, name of Dr KG Singh is doing the rounds.
AAP has already announced five candidates, re-nominating party’s state unit president and Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann from Sangrur, and sitting MP Prof Sadhu Singh from Faridkot.
It has fielded its Majha zone president Kuldeep Dhaliwal from Amritsar, Narinder Singh Shergill from Sri Anandpur Sahib and Dr Ravjot Singh from Hoshiarpur.
