Is AAP surging ahead in Tarn Taran?

New Delhi: Despite jailed lawmaker Amritpal Singh and his 'Waris Punjab De' being key factors in the November 11 by-elections in Punjab's Tarn Taran, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) appears to be surging ahead in the bypolls in the Sikh-dominated constituency that was once a hotbed of militancy.

While a divided Panthic vote is said to be one of the key factors in favour of the AAP, it is also alleged that the ruling party was misusing the official machinery to ensure its candidate, Harmeet Singh Sandhu, emerges victorious in the by-elections.

It has also been seen over the years that the local administration, by and large, invariably ends up helping the ruling party in by-elections because of obvious reasons.

That aside, Sandhu, being a three-time legislator, has a direct connection with the voters.

Since the residents of the constituency want their development work to be done by the state government, it becomes essential for them to support the ruling party.

On the other hand, 'Waris Punjab De' candidate Mandeep Singh, who has the backing of all the Panthic parties, has not been able to garner support from different communities other than the youth and a section of the religious Sikhs.

Unlike in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, there is no overwhelming support for Amritpal this time, even though his team had been at the forefront in helping the flood-affected people. It would be interesting to see if the appreciation for good work done post-floods gets converted into votes.

Surprisingly, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), despite the Panthic sentiment against it, continues to be a factor. The loss of Sandhu to AAP is being negated to a large extent by Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa, who appears to have struck a chord with the people in villages. Besides, the Akali Dal is also banking on its cadre to give a tough fight to the ruling party, and hoping to better its 2024 performance.

The two national parties, the Congress and the BJP, are not in the reckoning. While the Congress has fielded a political lightweight, Karanbir Singh Burj, the BJP too has given a ticket to a greenhorn, Harjit Singh Sandhu. Both appear to be struggling to save their security deposit.