Rebels of Punjab: ‘Azad’ Congress versus Congress

Amitabh Shukla / Chandigarh

There may not be any registered political party called “Azad Congress” in Punjab but those contesting against the official candidate of their parent party Congress, have been aptly given the name as they are set to cloud the performance of Congress in the state.

Almost two dozen rebels, some serious, some flexing muscles and some eager to test the political waters, revolted against the list of candidates announced by the AICC and decided to contest as independents in the eagerly watched political battle. Not that the main rival Akali Dal is free from the malaise but nothing like an “Azad Akali Dal” has emerged as the numbers are miniscule compared to Congress.

“Neutral” Congress leaders, perceived to be the representatives of the high command like General Secretaries Oscar Fernandes and B K Hariprasad were fielded by the party to meet the rebels, cajole them, convince them, offer posts in the future and also threaten them of a bleak political future outside Congress and expulsion. Only a handful agreed to meet them, mainly the younger ones. Some of them simply turned then away. Almost 20 leaders, most of them former MLAs and having been through the thick and thin of the party for three decades, did not relent.

“Most of them are insignificant. They can’t get more than a few hundred votes. Congress knows how to tackle them as rebels are there in every election,” Hariprasad told The Pioneer.

But there are “worry lines” on the faces of those Congress leaders who have been with the party for long and know what difference it makes if a few hundred and a few thousand votes are debited from the vote bank of the party and that too in over 20 constituencies in a keenly contested battle. These worry lines have only grown as the D-Day approaches.

After failing to persuade the members of “Azad Congress”, PCC has so far expelled the rebels from the party who did not withdraw despite inducements and threats. They include Ashok Sharma from Pathankot, Sucha Singh Chhotepur and Baljit Singh Bhatti from Baba Bakala, Sukhjinder Singh Lali Majithia from Majitha, Ram Kishen Kataria from Balachaur, Hari Pal from Chamkaur Sahib, Bhalinder Singh in Ludhaina Rural, Jagmohan Sharma in Ludhiana East, former minister Harbans Lal in Fatehgarh Sahib and former MLAs Ravinder Babbal, Upender Sharma (Kotkapura) and Gurbir Singh Sandhu (Jalalabad).

Other prominent rebels who have been expelled from the primary membership of the party includes include contestants like Deepinder Singh Dhillon from Dera Bassi, Inderjeet Qasabad from Sahnewal, Hans Raj Josan from Jalalabad, Naresh Puri from Sujanpur and Rajneesh Kumar Babbi from Mukerian.

Congress sources said Jagmohan Sharma retired from contest later on but these 17 rebels, expelled from the party, have been associated with the party for long and have the potential to affect the chances of the official party nominee.

Apart from those expelled from the party, there are dozens who are working against the party, several who are still contesting but not considered big leaders to be expelled like Simerpreet Kaur Bhatia from Amritsar, who was first given a ticket and then it was withdrawn. Most of those who retired and withdrew their candidature, are nursing grievance and have refrained from actively working for the victory of the official candidate, lest it affects their chances in the future elections.

While the BJP has been free from the malaise and there is hardly any important rebel against the official party candidate, Akali Dal faces around 8 rebels. These include Balwinder Singh Bains from Ludhiana South, Simarjit Bains from Atam Nagar, Manpreet Kaur Dolly from Dera Bassi, Gurpratap Singh Tikka from Amritsar South and Mohinder Singh Hussainipur from Nawanshahr. Didar Singh Bhatti is another rebel from Fatehgarh Sahib but he is contesting on Punjab People’s party ticket.

Then there are candidates of Sanjha Morcha of Manpreet Badal with whom both Congress and Akali Dal will have to contend with. Manpreet parted ways with the SAD last year and has now emerged as the “Third Front” of Punjab politics. Manpreet may not be called a rebel as he has formed his own party and he could cut into both SAD and Congress vote bank but his departure was a setback which the Akalis are not likely to forget in a hurry. (30.1.12)