Not just Dalits, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Congress are banking on Hindu voters and may go for more Hindu candidates in Urban constituencies.
The experiment worked for SAD in 2012 Assembly elections as the party fielded 11 Hindu candidates from Urban constituencies, highest in party’s electoral history. This did upset its ally BJP, that has a strong grip over the urban pockets.
Another view is that demonetisation largely affected the rural voters– comprising commission agents, marginal farmers and traders. This has emboldened senior Akali leaders. They want Hindu BJP faces to be replaced with Hindu Akali candidates. “Recent civic polls should not be seen as a referendum for demonetisation.
Infrastructure sans banks and ATMs in the hinterlands in Punjab cannot be compared to cities like Chandigarh. Low income groups were not even able to earn for their daily needs. But I appreciate the idea of replacing BJP faces with Akalis, where the impact is most. Its a smart strategy,” says Prof. Surinder Shukla, a political scientist from Panjab University in Chandigarh.
Congress, meanwhile is contemplating whether it should go by the same formula or stick to the internal surveys of the party. Aam Admi Party is completely focusing on Sikh candidates.
AAP is set to stick to same formulae even in the upcoming lists barring a few Hindu-dominated pockets. 2012 Assembly Elections were completely fought under the aegis of Sukhbir Badal for the first time.
