Swaraj Abhiyan may fight the Punjab elections

The decision is still at the drawing board level; given that the polls are just a year away, the outfit has little time to get its act together

 

With the assembly elections in Punjab only one year away, today’s announcement by the Swaraj Abhiyan leaders on giving a serious thought to graduating into a political outfit and contesting the polls may give anxious moments to political parties in the state.  

If it is seriously considering entering the political arena, Swaraj Abhiyan has hardly any time.

Talking to Business Standard, Anupam Singh, the media-in-charge of Swaraj Abhiyan, said that the ‘Jai Kisan’ movement of the outfit was kicked off from Barnala in Punjab and they have been fighting for the rights of farmers and employment under MNREGA in Punjab. They are connected to voters at the grass root level and have sufficient support of rural Punjab.

“People in Punjab are fed up not only with the Badal family’s rule but are also waiting for a political party that can deliver transparency and good governance. During the election campaigns in the state, other parties have also been exposed, as the development of the Punjab is not on their agenda. AAP could not deliver what it promised in Delhi, so voters do not expect much from them. There is room for a political outfit with action and not mere rhetoric”, he added.

Swaraj Abhiyan has teams at the block and village levels, he said, but refused to share information on the number of volunteers in the state.

The convenor of Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab, Succha Singh Chottepur, told Business Standard that breakaway factions are only a flash in the pan and referred to the attempts made by leaders in the past, who later merged with other entities. “The leaders of Swaraj Abhiyan could not adhere to the discipline in the party and floated their own outfit. Kejriwal is honest and has a vision, and Punjab voters have faith in him.”

He added that members of Swaraj Abhiyan should return to the party.

A crowded political battlefield may be a mega spoiler, because multi-cornered elections only lead to higher election spending having a little impact on welfare of voters.