Akali Dal's absence raises stakes in Punjab bypolls

New Delhi: Akali Dal has added drama over the November 20 bypolls to Punjab Assembly by deciding not to field candidates, a move that has triggered concerns in the Congress that fears that its rivals AAP and BJP could be the ultimate beneficiary.

Of the four seats going to bypolls, Congress holds Chabbewal, Dera Baba Nanak and Gidderbah while AAP had won the Barnala seat. Akali Dal had substantial votes in all these seats, which became vacant after MLAs representing these seats won the Lok Sabha polls.

Punjab has been witnessing four-cornered fights after Akali Dal severed ties with the BJP in September 2020 over controversial farm laws. In the 2022 Assembly elections, AAP stormed to power winning 92 of 117 seats while Congress won 18, Akali Dal 3 and BJP 2.

Akali Dal had recently announced that it would not be contesting the bypolls after Akal Takht, the highest religious body of Sikhs, declared its chief Sukhbir Singh Badal a ‘tankhaiya’ – guilty of religious misconduct – for several decisions that hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community while in power during 2007-17. He was also barred from participating in the bypolls.

With Akali Dal out of fray, Congress leaders fear that its votes could go to its opponents and impact its prospects in all the four seats. This is the first time after 1992, Akali Dal is boycotting the polls.

One of the seats that will be keenly watched would be Gidderbaha, which was vacated by Congress’ three time winner since 2012 Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.

His wife Amrita is contesting this time and is taking on AAP’s Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon, an Akali Dal turncoat who lost last time, and BJP’s Manpreet Badal, a former member of both Akali Dal and Congress who won Gidderbaha in 1995, 1997, 2002 and 2007 before Warring wrested the seat for Congress.

The BJP expects Manpreet to woo Akali to win the seat where Warring managed a narrow victory of 1,349 votes last time. While BJP did not contest the seat, its ally Punjab Lok Congress had won just 379 votes. Congress bagged 35.47 per cent votes while Akali Dal got 34.53 per cent and AAP 27.04 per cent.

Manpreet, a former Punjab Finance Minister, had quit Akali Dal following differences with his cousin Sukhbir while he went out of Congress feeling sidelined Warring became Punjab Congress president.

In Dera Baba Nanak, Congress has fielded Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa’s wife Jatinder Kaur from where the former won by just 466 votes in 2022. While Congress got 36.41 per cent and Akali Dal 36.08 per cent votes, AAP had polled 21.99 per cent votes while BJP, which polled just 1,913 or 1.33 per cent, has fielded Akali Dal turncoat Ravi Kahlon with an eye on Akali votes.

Chabbewal, which fell vacant after Congress’ Dr Raj Kumar switched sides to AAP and won Lok Sabha polls, is also witnessing a fierce battle. AAP has fielded Kumar’s son Ishank where Congress has fielded former BSP leader Ranjit Kumar, who is facing rebellion. Congress had polled 41.02 per cent votes in 2022 with AAP getting 34.4 per cent, Akali Dal 16.73 per cent and BJP 3.53 per cent.

In Barnala, AAP had polled 49.27 per cent while Akali Dal came second with 20.66 per cent followed by Congress at 12.81 per cent. BJP had 6.94 per cent votes there.

The bypolls, initially scheduled for November 13, has now been rescheduled to November 20 after parties approached the Election Commission saying voters will be celebrating the 555th Prakash Parv of Sri Guru Nanak Dev on November 15 and an 'akhand path' will be organised from November 13 onwards and it could impact voting.