An impatient Punjab continues to experiment. Just over 100 days after the people of Punjab propelled the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to power with a thumping majority, they rejected it in Sangrur parliamentary constituency, comprising assembly segments that gave the State its Chief Minister. Emerging victorious in the rapidly changing scenario was Simranjeet Singh Mann — an IPS officer-turned-politician who had unsuccessfully been trying his luck since he last became a parliamentarian in 1999.
Attribute it to the low voter turnout in Sangrur, sentiments generated post popular singer Sidhu Moosewala’s killing, or the puffed up expectations of the people eager to see a sea of change in less than four months, the fact remains that the results have sent perturbing indicators to the State and its political masters struggling hard to cope-up with contentious issues such as increasing lawlessness and apprehensions of revival of Khalistani movement.
To begin with, Mann’s name has never been disassociated from the movement. In fact, it would not be wrong to call him a Khalistan protagonist. The president of a mainstream party — Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Mann has all along been demanding Khalistan — a separate Sikh state; and follower of Sikh separatist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale’s ideology.
In fact, his is the only pro-Khalistan party that is in the mainstream electoral politics as of now, while other separatist parties like Dal Khalsa no longer enter the electoral fray.
For over two decades, Mann continued to test himself in state’s electoral waters — be it assembly polls, or Lok Sabha elections, or Sikh Gurdwara body (SGPC) polls, Mann faced defeat after defeat. His victory in Sangrur bypoll is his third win after 1989 and 1999 from Tarn Taran and Sangrur respectively.
The voters of Sangrur — the parliamentary seat vacated by Bhagwant Mann after swearing in as Punjab Chief Minister in March this year — have rejected the ruling AAP while pushing the state’s traditional political parties, especially the Shiromani Akali Dal, to the brink.
AAP had emerged as a viable option for good governance after the people had rejected both Congress and Akali Dal in 2022 state assembly polls by giving the comparatively new outfit highest-ever seats — 92 of the total 117 — on the promise of “badlav” (change).
However, it seems the intensity with which the people voted for the change AAP promised it about four months back, they wanted it to perform with the same strength. It could not be denied that since AAP came to power in Punjab, it has taken a slew of decisions and initiatives like checking corruption, advertising jobs, announcing 300 free power units from July 1, doorstep delivery of ration, among other things. But it seems, AAP failed to neutralize the emotions aroused following the brutal killing of Punjabi’s youth icon and globally-renowned singer Sidhu Moosewala.
The killing, in the neighbouring Mansa, sent shockwaves across all sections. Moosewala was shot a day after AAP publicised his party government’s decision to withdraw the singer’s security cover through social media. Moosewala’s fans world over are now openly blaming AAP government for his murder.
Even though Moosewala had joined the Congress and fought Assembly elections from Mansa on its ticket, he had openly shared that he wanted to campaign for Simranjit Singh Mann in Amargarh assembly constituency. In fact, Mann was usually seen telling the people during his poll campaign and ads that Moosewala wanted to support him in Sangrur elections also.
Moosewala’s killing had pushed the ruling party on the backfoot with AAP already facing opposition’s attack over deteriorating law and order situation with incidents like blast in Ludhiana district courts, clashes in Patiala between two radical groups, followed by rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack on the Punjab Police’s intelligence headquarters in Mohali to mention a few.
Other than that, it is believed disconnect of AAP’s local leadership with the electorate and also party workers in the segment has also went against it. Several party workers have took to social media to express “happiness” over party’s defeat in Sangrur, saying that now it would realize the power of grassroot party cadre.
In run-up to bypolls, people were seen complaining to AAP leaders, and highlighting their inaccessibility, and switching off of mobile phones or changing numbers — hinting at the discontentment among the electorates.
Another reason that cost AAP heavily is the perception that Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Government is a proxy government and the levers of real power operated from elsewhere. Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal holding meeting of power officials from Punjab, choice of Rajya Sabha members from the state are some examples cited by the opposition. And then pictures of Mann hanging from the window of a car with Kejriwal standing and waving through the sunroof during a road-show strengthened the perception.
It is also believed that the choice of a “lesser-known” candidate could not save the party from four-month anti-incumbency. A close confidante of Chief Minister Mann, Gurmail Singh has been a sarpanch of Gharachon village from the segment. He had also handled Mann’s Dhuri office during the Assembly elections. However, it seems, people do not consider him fit in Bhagwant Mann’s shoes.
The results have now left the ruling party anxious on the issue of satisfying the people of Punjab, and that too at “lightning” speed. It is believed that AAP failed to provide “badlav” that it promised with teachers, farmers still holding protests, facing lathicharge, leaders moving around in large security paraphernalia, etc, people gave their mandate against it after just 100 days. Now it would be as simple as that — perform or perish. People of Punjab are now, it seems, not in a mood to wait and watch.
The party defeat came at a time when the entire top brass, including AAP supremo Kejriwal, Mann himself, had campaigned vigorously for the party candidate. For the last ten days, all Ministers and most MLAs had stationed themselves in Sangrur and launched a vigorous campaign. In spite of this, the disillusionment of the voters was evident as the constituency witnessed the lowest turnout in recent history.
The bypoll to Sangrur Lok Sabha seat had witnessed a low turnout of 45.30 per cent as against 72.44 per cent polling in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and 76.71 per cent in 2014 polls - a factor that the AAP blamed for their loss. There were 15.69 lakh eligible voters this time.
It was for the first time that Sangrur witnessed a five-cornered contest. While Congress fielded a young gun Dalvir Goldy, a former MLA who had unsuccessfully contested against Bhagwant Mann from Dhuri in the Assembly elections; BJP fielded Kewal Dhillon, a well-heeled industrialist and former Congress legislator; and Akali Dal gave its ticket to Kamaldeep Kaur, sister of Balwant Singh Rajoana.
SAD pushed to the brink
Akali Dal, Punjab’s regional party that ruled the State for a decade, has been pushed to the brink. The party finished on the fifth spot with the candidate of its old ally, BJP, bagging more votes.
This time, SAD tried to play panthic card with full force, making release of Bandi Singhs (Sikh prisoners languishing in jails despite completing their sentence) as its main poll plank. It fielding foster sister of Khalistan militant Balwant Singh Rajoana, one of the main assassins of former Chief Minister Beant Singh lodged in jail, “following the directions of Akal Takht” — Sikhs’ highest temporal seat.
Akali Dal also led an effort, in the run-up to Sangrur bypoll, to get various SAD factions united with party chief Sukhbir Badal even visiting Simranjit Mann’s house to persuade him to withdraw in favour of Kamaldeep’s candidature, but SAD (Amritsar) chief turned it down and went ahead with his campaign.
Mann dedicates his victory to Deep Sidhu, Moosewala
A former IPS officer, the SAD (A) chief had resigned from his job in 1984 in protest against Operation Blue Star. Pushed to the margins of Punjab’s mainstream politics for over two-and-half decades, the 77-year-old two-time MP was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989 when he was in jail from Tarn Taran.
Mann had then won from Tarn Taran Lok Sabha (now Khadoor Sahib) by a margin 4.6 lakh votes despite being lodged in Bhagalpur Jail. Even after getting 88 per cent votes, Mann never entered Parliament as he wanted to attend the house with a sword. Since then sword has been his trademark.
This was followed by his win in 1999 from Sangrur Lok Sabha seat. Since then, Mann had not won a single election. Even in the recent Punjab Assembly polls, he had finished in the second spot at Amargarh assembly seat. His party, which had hoped to make a dent in the state polls, did not win a single seat.
In the run-up to the Sangrur bypoll, Mann had said that his win would be a “victory of the secular people and minorities against the ultra-right parties such as BJP, AAP, and Congress”.
His election was seen by some as an endorsement for Punjab's hard-line religious politics that gained prominence at the height of the militancy in the State and was on the decline over the last two decades.
He dedicated his victory to the people of Sangrur, to late actor-activist Deep Sidhu and Moose Wala, "who gave their blood for the Sikh community". “This will have repercussions on India's politics. Many used to laugh and say 'what will Simranjit Singh Mann do'. They have been proved wrong today," Simranjit Mann said.
Although he has been a pro-Khalistan leader, Mann had focused on constructing cow shelters during his term as an MP during 1999-2004. He was then also declared “outstanding parliamentarian” by the Lok Sabha Speaker. He is a relative of former Chef Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.
He has been arrested or detained about 30 times but he has never been convicted for any crime so far. He was charged, among other things, with a conspiracy to assassinate former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
According to the Lok Sabha website, “Mann remained in jail from 1984 to 1989 for the devolution of powers to the Sikhs and although elected to 9th Lok Sabha, did not take oath. He was elected to 13th Lok Sabha from 1999 to 2004 and remained Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of External Affairs. He was committed to the protection of social, cultural, civil, economic, and political rights as enshrined in the UN charter. Protection of human rights and rights of minority were his special interests as MP.”
