Just before the Lok Sabha elections were announced, Punjab saw the departure of three key Congress leaders. These were former Union Minister Parneet Kaur, Deputy Leader of the Congress Legislative Party Rajkumar Chabbewal, and ex-MLA from Bassi Pathana, Gurpreet Singh GP. While Parneet Kaur joined BJP, Chabbewal and GP became a part of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
'Mood of the Nation' surveys along with most Lok Sabha polls predict a decline in the vote share for Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab. 'Mood of the Nation' forecasts a dip in the vote share for Congress and SAD in 2024, while AAP's vote share is likely to surge to 27 percent, and BJP's is expected to increase from 9.63 percent to 17 percent.
Congress's vote share may decrease in Punjab
According to 'Mood of the Nation,' the vote share for Congress and SAD will likely be 38 percent and 14 percent respectively. There's anticipation that AAP and Congress will each secure five seats in Punjab, followed by BJP and SAD winning two and one seat respectively. Congress had secured a vote share of 40 percent in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Besides facing challenges from the ruling AAP, Congress is also grappling with a split in its leadership ranks.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, Congress won 8 out of 13 seats in Punjab, with BJP and SAD securing 2 seats each, and AAP claiming a single seat. SAD stood second with a vote share of 27.45 percent, followed by BJP's 9.63 percent and AAP's 7.38 percent. Many Congress leaders blame AAP for the fragmentation of their leadership in Punjab.
AAP Responsible for Defections in Punjab Congress: Bajwa
Pratap Singh Bajwa, while conversing with India Today, stated that although AAP could be joining the India coalition elsewhere, its current objective is to commandeer Congress leaders in Punjab. Bajwa mentioned, 'Despite being part of the Indian alliance, AAP is held accountable for defections within the Punjab Congress. They're employing the Vigilance Department to accomplish this. AAP is purely focused on breaking away Congress leaders and is refraining from encroaching on leaders from BJP or SAD. We had this suspicion when talks about the coalition in Punjab did not materialize.'
Bhagwant Mann Beyond Arvind Kejriwal's Control: Bajwa
The Congress leader indicated that AAP is acting as a B-team for BJP, aiming to weaken the principal opposition party in the state. Bajwa articulated, 'Bhagwant Mann is no longer in Arvind Kejriwal's grip. They are engaging in these unlawful purchases under the backing of BJP's central leadership. If it was under Kejriwal's instructions, BJP and SAD leaders would be bought out. They are fracturing our leaders to undermine Congress and empower BJP.' When contacted, the chief spokesperson for AAP, Malwinder Singh Kang, remarked, 'This is an internal affair of the Congress Party and only Congress leaders can comment on this.'
