July 31, 2011 10:20:20 PM
Amitabh Shukla | Chandigarh
Amitabh Shukla | Chandigarh
Dynastic politics and Congress go hand in hand. Following the footsteps of their national leaders, even the State leaders in Punjab are promoting their sons, wives, daughters and relatives in a big way.
None of the Congress leaders here are bothered about Rahul Gandhi’s call of ending dynastic politics and bring in democratisation in the party with the infusion of fresh blood and talent through internal elections. Interestingly, Punjab was one of the first States where democratic elections were held for posts in the Indian Youth Congress.
However, the very principle of Gandhi seems to have been defeated in the State where the democratisation process of the party began with a bang three years ago.
Ravneet Singh Bittu was elected as the president of the Punjab Youth Congress through this democratic process which has now vitiated and has several grey areas. His political lineage as a grandson of former Chief Minister Beant Singh played a major role in his “democratic election”. He was rewarded for being a torch bearer of Rahul Gandhi’s idea and became a member of the Lok Sabha from Anandpur Sahib.
Now almost the entire clan of Beant Singh, the Chief Minister, who played an important role in ending terrorism in the State, wants tickets for the forthcoming Assembly elections. This includes his daughter Gurkanwal Kaur, son Tej Prakash Singh and another grandson Gurkirat Singh. “Their claim to fame is simple. All are asking for tickets citing the sacrifice which the former Chief Minister made for the State,” said a party leader, on condition of anonymity.
Beant Singh’s family is not the only one in the State which is hankering after party tickets. CLP leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal is following the footsteps of Congress leaders who want to perpetuate dynastic politics. While her brother Kuldip Singh Bhattal is an MLA, she also wants a ticket for her son-in-law Vikram Singh Bajwa.
Party leaders in the State point out that promotion of dynastic politics is natural due to the path shown by the “first Congress family” in the State - 69-year old PCC president Captain Amarinder Singh. His wife Parneet Kaur is an MP from Patiala and a Minister in the Central Government, he himself the CM in waiting and his son Raninder wants to avenge his defeat from Bathinda in 2009 Lok Sabha polls at the hands of Harsimrat Kaur Badal, another beneficiary of the dynastic politics, in the next general elections.
Taking cue from these leaders, several sitting MPs and senior MLAs are promoting their sons and daughters and want the party to give them tickets for the 2012 elections. They take their wards to political meetings, introduce them to the leaders in New Delhi and the State and express their wish clearly. Some of these leaders who are growing old have a succession plan ready.
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