On Guru Ravidass Jayanti, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal and its two-time MP and chief ministerial face in Punjab Bhagwant Mann prayed together at the famous Guru Ravidass temple before setting out to campaign together in Jalandhar. The duo not only sent a message to the politically significant 32% Scheduled Caste population in Punjab but also one of unity in AAP in the face of serious infighting within the state’s ruling Congress. Kejriwal also promised to build a temple in Delhi in honor of the 15th-century saint. While speaking with the media, he allowed Mann to speak first, giving the latter the space to grow as a mass leader. In fact, in this Punjab 2.0 campaign, the party is witnessing the emergence of another leader, Mann, who has mass appeal and enjoys the trust of the people of the state, aiding him in every way and propelling his rise.
As the roadshow made its way through the narrow and crowded byways, we tried to get a sense of the pulse on the ground. “Chunav ka mahaul bahut garam hai, aap ke samne hai (The poll atmosphere has heated up, it’s all in front of you),,” a well-dressed gentleman said, going on to add, “Party achhi hai, kuch karegi naya ( It’s a good party, will do something new).” He refused to be named but stressed, “Dilli mein achha kaam kia hai, kuch karegi zaroor (They have worked well in Delhi, will do something for sure).”
A senior citizen, Meena, however, was much more open about her vote this time. “We are with them with our full might.” Asked to clarify which party she was referring to, she said, “Kejriwal ki taraf kyon ki unhone achha kaam kia hai (With Kejriwal because he has done good work).”
After nearly a three-hour roadshow in Jalandhar, the team splits with Arvind Kejriwal heading towards Amritsar in the Majha area where the party hopes to break new ground while Mann heads for Malwa.
Bhagwant Mann simply blazed through the four destinations as twilight soon gave way to pitch darkness. It was well past 8pm when he reached Chamkaur Sahib, the seat of chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, to a rousing welcome from people who had been waiting restlessly for hours with their tractors, garlands, flowers and, most importantly, hope. The moment Mann’s cavalcade entered the main street corner of Chamkaur Sahib, all hell broke loose. The young and the old, primarily men, scrambled to get near him, creating almost a stampede as he headed to the local gurdwara.
Sardar Lakhon Singh, who has traveled to Chamkaur from his village, is young and jobless. Asked why he had come, Singh said, “Apne mudde ke liye aaye hain hum aaj (We have come for our issues). We need jobs, schools.” But what attracts Lakhon Singh to Mann? “Mann ek nek dil acche insaan hain, aaj nahi toh kal , humara vote unhi ko jayega ( Mann is a pure-hearted person, whether it is today or tomorrow, vote will go to him.”
Junoom Singh, also on the same tractor, echoes what Lakhon Singh said. He, too, has come so late in the night because he wants a job. “All of us are without jobs. What is the point of studying if you can’t get a job?” he asked, adding that Mann should get an opportunity as every other party has been given one.
“Inka patta saaf honi chahiye, Congress aur Akaliyon ka (Congress and Akalis should be totally wiped out),” said Harveer Singh passionately. “They indulge in sand mining…Who has Rs 10 crore in his house?,” he said, “Saccha banda, badhiya banda (An honest man, a good man)” is how he described the AAP Jatt Sikh chief ministerial face. Asked whether Mann can handle the chief minister’s chair, Singh responded, “Yes, yes. No one except for him speaks the truth. He stands for the rights of Punjabis. People trust him, 100%.”
At the bus stop of small-town Kharar, people are overheard referring to Mann as “Humara sher (our lion), humara leader (our leader).”
Bhagwant Mann has his own share of controversies and troubles. He has been targeted by his opponents for his drinking habits. However, this has little or no resonance on the ground. In Bhatinda, for instance, a young man who works with the Army, Happy, scoffed, “Is drinking bad? And who doesn’t drink?” A middle-aged man, Narain, who works as a daily wage labourer, said, “Sharab peeta hai toh apne ghar mein peeta hai, sare aam nahi peeta (He drinks in his house, not in public). He has left his home for the well-being of the people. People want to defame him, that is all. The Aam Aadmi Party is doing good work in Delhi. Electricity, water, etc, should be free.”
In Ludhiana, Inderjeet Singh said he had voted for the BJP earlier but this time he is voting for AAP. “Nayi party ko Punjab mein utarna chahte hain, shayad koi badlav ho (Want to give a new party a chance in Punjab, maybe they will change something). Referring to inflation, particularly oil and gas, he said, “Bahut tang aa chuke hain (We are fed up).”
For Ranveer Kunar who drives a three-wheeler, the most important issues are drugs and unemployment, and he is not willing to give the traditional parties a chance again. “Dono partiyon ne system ka beda gark kar rakha hai Punjab mein. Jab se chunav ho rahein hain, do hi partiyan aa rahin hain. Ab jhadu ko mauka dena chahiye (Both the parties have made a mess of the system in Punjab. Since elections started here, only two parties have been getting chances. This time the broom should get an opportunity).”
What about Akali Dal? “Woh toh apni party hai. Nahi ji nahi (It is our party. No, no). Vote for Kejriwalji, AAP, Mann,” he said.
For Arvinder Singh, it is not only the poor state of the civil hospital in Ludhiana but also the manner in which people, particularly the poor, are treated. “The staff behaves very badly. If a rich person goes, at least the staff may listen to him. But if a poor man goes, that person will have no chance at all,” he said. He feels that Kejriwal will do something. “He opened mohalla clinics in Delhi. He will do something here.” But, would Charanjit Channi’s caste make a difference? “Party toh wahi hai na…party toh Congress hai, kisi aur ki party toh nahi (The party is still the Congress, right? Not a different one),” he said.
For Rakesh, a shopkeeper, the health and education of kids are the most important issues. He says he will vote, keeping these issues in mind. “Channi has been here for four to five months. The Congress party made him CM as Captain did not do anything. Channi has been CM only for three to four months. He is also doing something. Whichever party does work, I will vote for that party. Every year I earn a lakh,” he said.
Balwinder Kaur, who runs a boutique, said electricity tariffs and jobs for her children are important. “Labourers earn more than my educated sons. At least they make Rs 15,000 a month. My sons don’t make that much. See, in my view, no party works for the people. For instance, the Congress…Even today, I have cards lying with me, the ones that promised that they will give jobs. I still have four to five cards. The children are trying, yet are unable to get jobs. Kisko vote dein, ab kisi pe bhi yakeen nahin hai (Don’t know which party to vote for, can’t trust anyone),” she said.
The talented comic satirist Bhagwant Mann was always popular. But, as one hears people speak, it is AAP, its symbol the ‘jhadu’ (broom) and Arvind Kejriwal’s ‘Delhi model of development’ that has rubbed off on Mann, enhanced his stature, and imbued him with a sense of promise.
On his part, after being announced as the party’s chief ministerial face, Mann has galvanised AAP’s cadre and campaign, crisscrossing more than 500 kilometers a day, a far cry from the days when he sulked and stayed away from putting his shoulder to the wheel. He is in high demand for every AAP contestant. And there has been no public display of dissent or disappointment since he was named the CM face.
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