Can Arvind Kejriwal and AAP Win the Upcoming Punjab Elections?

If the current trends among the leading political leaders in Punjab are an indication, then Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led by Arvind Kejriwal could be a hot proposition for upcoming 2017 elections in Punjab.

Kejriwal shot to fame first as an avid follower of Anna Hazare fighting for the erstwhile Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill and then as the leader of the newly formed AAP that swept the elections in Delhi almost wiping out the two leading national parties; the Indian National Congress as well as Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) comprehensively.

Despite the huge popularity and rising stature of leader of Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) – Narendra Modi and stiff contest from Indian National Congress (INC) –Sonia Gandhi Arvind was able to lead AAP to a comprehensive victory in Delhi unexpected even by the political experts. It seems electors saw something in him that immensely attracted them.

It did not seem enough for Arvind Kejriwal or his party. He aimed to bring up his party to national level and thus started trying for the same. Immediate objective of him and his party was having a firm foot in Punjab where the general elections to the State Assembly is scheduled to be held in 2017.

Many leaders from other parties are looking to AAP as their alternative option and that includes leader of BJP in Punjab Navjot Singh Sidhu.

When Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was fighting the elections in Delhi, it attracted people from all spheres of the society like a magnet. It seems their pronouncement of corruption free governance appealed to one and all. But the past two years after coming to power has not been a safe rowing for AAP. They have got into continued tussle with the Central Government and there were allegations of corruption as well though some of them seemed to be motivated by political aspirations of other parties.

Of late however there has been a reversal of the tide. One of the reasons is the steady decline of Indian National Congress (INC) –Sonia Gandhi led national party in the political scenario all over India. The other and more pertinent reason was Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) – Narendra Modi sliding down the popularity ladders. For many Arvind Kejriwal and AAP seems a viable alternative.

Besides Navjot Singh Sidhu, Gurjit Singh Dhathh who is the niece of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh has also joined Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on June 7th. Surinder Singh Sodhi and Pargat Singh two of the former Indian hockey team stars have also headed for AAP recently. Another casualty for BJP is the desertion of Poonam Azad the wife of Kirti Azad who is also heading for AAP.

Arvind Kejriwal and his AAP is going to contest the election in 2017 in Punjab where NDA government is in power. Early poll surveys conducted in Punjab indicates a landslide victory for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the prediction is that the party would be grabbing seats in the range of 94-100 in the 117 seat Punjab Assembly.

These predictions are quite uniform in all pre-poll surveys and it gives credence to the claim of Arvind made in early July that his party will win 100 seats in Punjab Assembly. A change seems to be imminent in the political scenario of Punjab.