These are the questions we put to our expert analyst Ramesh Vinayak, in the final analysis of the 2017 Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections. Here is a summary of the interview:
Who will become Leader of Opposition in Punjab?
This is a key position in the state, equivalent to the rank of a cabinet minister. Even the government has to consult with the leader of opposition on many things (including key appointments). And it is a vexing question for the AAP leadership as to who they will appoint to this post - whoever it is, must be able to boost the morale of the party in Punjab and must be able to provide an effective opposition to a government which has swept into power with a great majority.
There are three main contenders for the position - the highly respected human rights activist HS Phoolka, the very well known journalist Kanwar Sandhu and the popular young politician Sukhpal Khaira. Each has their strengths and weaknesses. Whilst Mr Phoolka and Mr Sandhu have contested and won elections for the first ever time, and enjoy massive popular support, Mr Sukhpal Khaira is most experienced as a politician. He was previously an MLA from the Congress party and this time, he is the only AAP candidate to win a seat in Doaba. His father, S Sukhjinder Singh was a minister in the Akali government, so Mr Khaira has a strong political background as well.
It remains to be seen who AAP will appoint as Opposition leader - undoubtedly the decision will be taken in Delhi, and it is quite possible, that this decision may cause divisions or fractures within the Aam Admi party.
Are the days of SAD- BJP coalition over?
Well, I don't think so. I don't believe the parties will go different ways either for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections or the next Punjab elections. You see, BJP has always been a "junior" partner in this alliance with SAD. And the BJP needs a party like SAD to maintain its presence in Punjab. In a sense, the BJP leadership needs SAD much more than the Akalis needing BJP in the Punjab scenario. So I believe the coalition will continue.
Did Punjabis vote on sectarian lines? Did AAP not get a winning vote because Arvind Kejriwal is not a Sikh?
As a Punjabi who has been following politics over here for a long time, I can tell you that people have voted for Captain Amarinder Singh, not because he is Sikh, but because he's widely seen to be secular. The average Sikh and especially the urban Hindus of Punjab have embraced him for who he is. Even the farmers have voted for him in heavy numbers based on his track record on the water issue as well as the BT Cotton issue. A big reason why AAP couldn't win a single seat in the urban belt of Punjab is that Arvind Kejriwal was wooing the radical Khalistani element in Punjab, and most voters were spooked by it. So the religion of the candidate wasn't the decisive factor.
Mr Ramesh Vinayak is the Resident Editor of Hindustan Times, Chandigarh, who has providied expert analysis of various issues relating to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections 2017. The views expressed here are those of Mr Ramesh Vinayak, not of SBS's: you can hear his interview by clicking on the link above.
Mr Ramesh Vinayak, RE Hindustan Times, Chandigarh Source: SBS Punjabi
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