Chandigarh, 11 November 2024: With the bypolls approaching in four Punjab Assembly constituencies—Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal, Barnala, and Gidderbaha—political parties are adopting contrasting strategies to attract voters ahead of the November 20 vote.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is banking on its farmer-friendly image, while the BJP appears to be courting urban and non-Jat voters with a stance that has sparked controversy.
In the absence of state BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu made waves with comments targeting farm union leaders, suggesting an investigation into their personal assets.
Bittu also drew ire by attributing Punjab’s role in the Green Revolution to farmers being “addicted to traditional drugs,” a remark seen as undermining their contributions to India’s food security.
Although seemingly a provocative move during the campaign, this strategy aligns with the BJP’s efforts to solidify support among urban, Hindu, and Dalit voters.
Farm union leaders swiftly condemned Bittu’s statements, accusing him of politicizing farmers’ issues. “Stop insulting the farmers’ struggle with such absurd allegations,” said Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan, general secretary of BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan).
He reminded Bittu of his previous praise for the farmers’ movement during his time in Congress. Similarly, Lachman Singh Sewewal of the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union dismissed Bittu as an opportunist, further intensifying the backlash from the farming community.
This backlash may influence voter dynamics in the rural-dominated constituencies of Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal, and Gidderbaha, where rural support is expected to be split between AAP and Congress.
The BJP seems to be focusing on consolidating urban votes, banking on its anti-farmer rhetoric to rally non-agricultural segments.
Meanwhile, AAP has tailored its campaign to address issues resonating with rural voters, particularly the drug crisis.
Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, during a three-day tour marked by high-energy rallies, made drug addiction a focal point, a response to the criticisms AAP faced in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year when it secured only three out of 13 seats in Punjab.
Acknowledging voters’ frustration over police inaction against the drug trade, Kejriwal vowed to hold law enforcement accountable, promising strict measures against officers who fail to curb the problem.
Amid growing criticism of Punjab farmers over stubble burning and its impact on air quality, Kejriwal chose a different narrative, commending farmers for reducing incidents of crop residue burning this season, which helped mitigate pollution levels. This praise contrasts with the BJP’s narrative and aligns with AAP’s pro-farmer image.
The AAP campaign has largely centered on Kejriwal, drawing parallels to his strategy during the 2022 Vidhan Sabha elections and the subsequent Sangrur Lok Sabha bypoll.
By positioning himself at the forefront, Kejriwal aims to re-engage rural voters who had distanced themselves from the party in recent elections, betting on his promises to address drug addiction and support farmers to sway the electorate in the upcoming bypolls.
