Punjab: Competition between 'friends' makes the path easier for Congress, separation of Akali Dal makes it difficult for BJP to open its account

Two years after the historic and spectacular victory of the Aam Aadmi Party within the meeting elections, the standard two or three polar contests within the state are over. This time the competition is four-cornered – between the Aam Aadmi Party, the Indian Nationwide Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In some constituencies like Sangrur, Bathinda and Khadoor Sahib, the competition has turn out to be five-cornered with the entry of hardliners Simranjit Singh Mann, Lakha Sidhana and Amritpal Singh.

One other function of the Lok Sabha elections in Punjab this time is the unprecedented rise within the variety of turncoats. Punjab leaders are sometimes in comparison with butterflies who flit from one 'flower' to a different. No celebration is untouched by this. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party has secured the companies of Gurpreet GP, Raj Kumar Chabbewal and Pawan Kumar Tinu from the Congress. The Congress has been profitable in attracting former Aam Aadmi Party leaders like Yamini Gomar, whereas the Akali Dal has introduced former Congress chief Mahinder Singh KP to its fold. Nonetheless, it’s the BJP that has fielded probably the most variety of turncoats – Sushil Kumar Rinku (Jalandhar), Ravneet Bittu (Ludhiana), Preneet Kaur (Patiala), Parampal Kaur (Bathinda), Mandeep Manna (Khadoor Sahib).