As campaigning hits the zenith, something unusual was happening at Patiala’s New Moti Bagh Palace, the impressive residence of the scion of erstwhile Patiala royal Captain Amarinder Singh.
Hindu priests had gathered to chant sanctified mantras. Former CM Capt Amarinder Singh, sporting a pink turban and a black sleeveless waistcoat, sat on a chair alongside as the ritual played out. A baby buffalo calf was brought in as a daan (donation) to appease Goddess Kali and to mollify Shani Dev.
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For the scion of the Patiala royal, who once donned the Olive Green uniform, then lived a prolific life in politics for over five decades, it was perhaps an unusual ritual. This divinatory push by soothsayers may or may not help Capt, but the traction that the former Congress old warhorse commanded earlier had arguably has waned. He has an edge over his rivals, but challenges galore in his pocket-borough for decades.
His Congress MP wife Preneet Kaur, his brother Malwinder Singh with whom his family developed estranged relations, his son Raninder and daughter have all put their might behind Capt. A loss from Patiala will mean Capt was no mass leader and thrived only with the backing of the Congress. A win will help him salvage lost prestige and possibly place him in some reckoning. The numbers of his supporters outside his mansion in Patiala too have receded. His unceremonious ouster as CM changed it all.
Capt’s fledgling Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) arguably was struggling to find winnable candidates at one stage. The PLC and the BJP along with rebel leader Sukhdev Dhindsa’s SAD (Sanyukt) parties have collaborated to add synergies. BJP’s political isolation, having been abandoned by its 25-year old ally SAD, somewhat ended after the PLC joined as an ally. Capt’s PLC too found an ally to stay afloat. But the combination appears little threat to the AAP, Congress or the SAD (Badal).
Many of Capt’s loyalists are contesting on the BJP symbol, something that is also seen as a tactical move by the alliance to garner support of the Hindu urban votes given that many of these ‘loyalists’ are contesting from urban seats. Capt is largely confining himself to his home seat in this battle of prestige. Capt is a fighter and has announced he’s not hanging his shoes anytime soon. “It’s a double engine government with BJP-led Centre that will usher Punjab into development,” Capt said emitting his newfound solidarity with the saffron brigade.
Amarinder is facing a challenge from AAP’s Ajitpal Singh Kohli, a former Akali Dal mayor. Ajitpal says he joined the AAP as it was always a fixed match between Amarinder and the Badals. Another ex-mayor Vishnu Sharma is also challenging Capt on the Congress ticket. He was mayor when Amarinder was CM from 2002-07. SAD has fielded a lawyer Harpal Juneja to take on Capt.
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