All is not well in newly formed SAD-BSP coalition, friction over seat-sharing, leadership

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Chandigarh: It was widely believed that the recently formed BSP- SAD (B) alliance will be a beginning of a new political era in Punjab and also set an example of political equilibrium but even before both the parties could set a roadmap for the people of Punjab, not only the fissures started appearing over the seat-sharing but resentment also started brewing within BSP over the style of functioning of its state leadership.

After severing ties with its long-time political partner BJP on the issue of three controversial farm laws, the SAD (B), in  June, forged an alliance with BSP. According to a compromise reached between the two, the BSP and SAD (B) would jointly contest the elections. And as per the seat-sharing formula the  BSP was given 20  out of a total of 117 assembly seats in Punjab to field its own candidates while SAD (B)will contest the remaining 97 seats.

According to the political pundit’s the BSP –SAD (B) alliance isn’t motivated by shared principles or values but is stemmed out of political opportunism for both the political parties ahead of the 2022 battle of the ballot in Punjab. As expected the differences between the two started emerging after the big brother (Akali’s) demanded from BSP to swap Sujanpur and Amritsar North seats which were earlier in the kitty of BSP.

Akali’s fielded Anil Joshi, a former cabinet minister in Parkash Singh Badal government in Punjab after he was expelled from BJP and joined the SAD (B) even as BSP had already announced Engineer Gurbax Singh Shergill as its candidate from Amritsar North assembly constituency.

Similarly, SAD (B) announced to field Raj Kumar Gupta from Sujanpur assembly seats. In exchange, BSP was given Sham Chaurasi and Kapurthala assembly seats. It is also rumored that SAD (B) is using its influence on BSP leaders to field candidates of its own choice at least in two assembly constituencies. BSP has announced to field former Akali leader  Lakhwinder Lakhi from Urmar assembly constituency and the name of a person with chequered past is making rounds as a party probable from Amritsar Central assembly constituency which sparked controversy within Punjab unit of BSP. Comrade Tarsem Singh Bhola, president of  Amritsar (Urban) unit of BSP  blamed the party’s state leadership for allegedly bypassing the set procedures for not only deciding on the name of candidates but also the seat swapping procedure.

On September 25, he went to Jalandhar and handed over his complaint, addressed to the national president of BSP Mayawati, to  BSP state president Jasbir Singh Garhi and in charge of political affairs, Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh Randheer Singh Beniwal. A few days later Tarsem Singh was flabbergasted to know that the state unit of the party has replaced him with Tara Chand.

“If party leadership had any objections with me for raising the issues on party platform then they should have asked me, sought clarification from me but I was unceremoniously removed even without telling me,” said Tarsem Singh. A senior party leader who didn’t wish to give his name informed that the party’s senior leadership had been apprised about the brewing resentment in party cadres about contemplating over the name of a person with criminal background from Amritsar Central constituency. “ 

This person has over 31 cases registered against him, Akali's are using their influence to get him BSP ticket from Amritsar Central constituency,  we have conveyed our concerns but the final decision has to be taken by state leadership,” he said.“Decisions are taken in routine for the betterment of the party," said Jasbir Singh Garhi.