Amarinder dishes out macho antics as ticket seekers queue up for Congress

Rules of engagement

This time around, the party has stipulated that every applicant must provide and affidavit declaring that they will not contest as part of another party if denied a party ticket.

Secondly, it has asked ticket aspirants to attach details of two voters including their serial numbers on the voter identity card, Aadhar card and mobile numbers from each booth in the constituency from where they wish to contest.

"This has helped the party weed out non-serious candidates in a big way. Since the constituencies have an average of 200 booths, procuring details of two voters itself would prove that the ground work has started," said the party functionary.

The party has asked general category aspirants to deposit Rs 10,000 each along with their application forms and Rs 5,000 each from the reserved category candidates. It has reportedly said that the deposits would be returned to those who do not get a ticket.

A strategic shift

There has been a marked change in the Congress strategy this time. Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh, under the guidance of his strategist Prashant Kishor, is trying to establish a direct contact with the electorate. The party campaign is around Amarinder with several events like 'Coffee with Captain' and 'Halke vich Captain' promoting him as the face of the party.

Amarinder too is sending out a strong message to the electorate by participating in events and acts that have managed to touch a raw nerve among the common people. This was evident at an event in Bathinda last week when Amarinder, in his characteristic combative style, stormed into the local police station to protest against the registration of a false case against one party worker, Baldev Singh. Singh later narrated the tale during a 'Halke vich Captain' programme.

Amarinder took the reigns of situation when he walked in and warned police officials to not register false cases as they would then have to account for every offence of omission and commission they committed against Congress workers. "Respect the uniform you are wearing and ensure that you resort to no injustice at the behest of the Akalis, whose days are numbered now," he told them.

"I have nothing personal against you, but if I find any of you have harassed or victimised any of my party workers, it will be more than personal for me and I will neither forget, nor forgive it. Let me announce today, loud and clear, that all those police officials who connived with the Akali jathedars and framed Congress workers in false cases, that their countdown has begun and they will find themselves behind the bars after we form the government in Punjab," he said.

Such actions work very well with the Punjabi mindset. "Punjabis love to have a leader who has a macho and masculine image, and is aggressive. By storming into the police station, Amarinder has sent a very powerful message," says a political observer from Ludhiana.

The man

On the issue of ticket distribution, Amarinder has said that 'winnability' would be the key criteria. This could mean that some of the sitting MLAs may not be chosen.

His rule that no family gets more than one ticket has also gone down well with party cadres. His promise of not appointing sitting MLAs to the post of boards and corporations and instead accommodating party workers against these posts too has sent positive signals to workers at the ground level.

In his public speeches, Amarinder has been urging the people to give him five years to launch Punjab back on the path of progress and development and to bring a smile back on every Punjabi's face.

He has also been trying to dispel the notion promoted particularly by the Akalis about his being a royal and having no connect with the masses. In fact, the aspect on which Kishor has worked on the most is making him accessible to the people while keeping his 'palace coterie' aloof.

Recently, Amarinder invited party worker Preet Singh to his residence at Moti Bagh Palace in Patiala. This too sent a strong message to the electorate as Preet Singh had asked Amarinder during a programme if he could see the palace. Amarinder had said that though it would be difficult considering how he's moving across Punjab in poll mode, he would ask district president Hardayal Kambhoj to arrange for the visit when he would be back in Patiala.

The one ticket per family rule laid down by Amarinder has also had added a new dimension to the exercise. It hasn't exactly stopped family members of Congressmen from applying in the different categories, but the party will decide whether it wants to field an old hand, a youngster or a woman.

"At least they are applying in a systematic manner and hopefully the party would stick to its basic commitments while distributing the tickets. If this happens it would be a new norm for a party known for always goofing up on ticket distribution," said a political observer.

The Congress functionaries believe that the party has only got to gain from the pits it was reduced to in the 2014 parliamentary polls.

But those like Shiv Inder, a radio journalist and a keen political observer, are still skeptical of chances of a victory. "The high number of applicants is surely a morale booster for the leadership, but the party still needs to do a lot of ground work - particularly in Doaba and Malwa regions," he said.

A win would hold national significance and the party's central leadership reportedly wants its national resurgence to begin from Punjab. But if Amarinder can deliver that knock out punch remains to be seen.

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