Chandigarh, Oct 24: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal reached Punjab on Saturday to take stock of situation in the state which is lately under turmoil. The unrest in Punjab grew following the spree of incidents where Sikh holy book Guru Granth Sahib was desecrated and placed outside gurudwaras. Following the blasphemous acts, hardliners in the region grew active and mobilized mass support in anti-governmental rallies. Also Read - Farm Bills 2020: Haryana Home Minister Hits Out at Kejriwal, Asks Him What Provisions of Bills Benefit Corporates

The public opinion of the Shiromani Akali Dal – BJP alliance is at an all-time low. Prime opposition, Congress is marred with internal power tussle and is is no position to voice the agitation of the aggrieved Sikhs. The mood in Punjab is to rally behind a third front which could be prove to be an alternative to the saffron Akali coalition and the grand-old Congress. Also Read - COVID-19: Centre Should've Admitted That There is Community Spread in Delhi, Says Satyendra Jain

Will AAP repeat Delhi in Punjab? Also Read - Coronavirus Tests in Delhi Highest in The World, 3057 Tests Conducted Per Million; Says Arvind Kejriwal

The prospects of AAP in Punjab were considered strong in the backdrop of 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Out of the 13 parliamentary seats, the party bagged 4 highly populous constituencies of Faridkot, Sangrur, Patiala and Fatehgirh Sahib. In terms of assembly segments, it finished at the first place in 25 of the 117 seats. At a time, when the Modi-wave turned into a tsunami nationwide wiping out the opposition, the newly floated party won 4 seats in Punjab while the BJP only secured 2.

There was a momentum in favour of Arvind Kejriwal. However, following his return to power in Delhi in a triumphant manner, a number of decisions were taken by him which disheartened the party cadres. The expulsion of Prashant Bhushan, Yogendra Yadav and other leftist leaders from AAP came as a shock for its selfless volunteers. It became quite clear that Kejriwal wanted to crackdown on any voice of dissent. This totalitarian attitude costed him two lawmakers – Dr. Dharamvira Gandhi and Harinder Singh Khalsa along with thousands of dissident volunteers, who feel cheated and led down by AAP which has deviated from its founding principles.

Therefore, Kejriwal’s visit to Punjab must be seen as a move to revive party’s fortune in the state rather than pitching up the momentum.

Has Arvind Kejriwal adopted conventional method of politics?

As the convener of a political party aspiring to be a nation-wide force, Arvind Kejriwal should not be slammed for visiting poll-bound state. However, the timing of the visit is contentious. When Arvind Kejriwal rode on idealism and promised a new brand of politics, it was not based upon reaping the benefits of a communal atmosphere.

A populist visit amidst such a tensed atmosphere may garner Kejriwal a short stint of popularity. However, (the former) anti-corruption crusader should reflect on the fact that a large section of his supporters took him seriously for his proposed war on graft, rather than indulging in the politics based on religion and caste.

In Punjab, the party came to light with a stormy success after adopting corruption and drug menace as it primary poll plank. In the entire nation, AAP was able to carve a niche for itself due to the propagation of the two components of its founding principles – Lokpal and Swaraj. Both of these utopian bills have been conveniently sidelined by AAP after reclaiming Delhi.