The results of the Punjab urban body polls have the stampof the farmers agitation and have dented several parties badly.
Punjab's Congress Chief Minister Amarinder Singh iselated with the performance. "It was a powerful message to these partiesto keep out of Punjab, which was not ready to either forgive or forget thedeceit and the treachery to which the people of the state had been subjected bythem," he said.
Though Punjab is at the epicentre of the farmers protestand the results bear the imprint of the agitation, the question arises will itreplicate in other states and cost the BJP dearly.
Assamand West Bengal
In Assam and West Bengal the BJP is a major party. InAssam the party is contesting to retain its government while in West Bengal itis challenging the ruling TMC as the main opponent.
The Congress in Assam has taken an anti-CAA stand. Formerparty president Rahul Gandhi started his campaign on Sunday with a strongstance against the Act, which is of prime concern in the state. Congress deputyleader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said, "The struggle against power isthe struggle of memory against forgetting. Congress promises to build amemorial to the anti-CAA movement after winning the election. Assam doesn'twant CAA."
In West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerji's main pitchagainst the BJP is about outsiders and how to save the strong Bengali culturewhich the BJP is trying to scuttle through its Hindutva agenda.
Congress leader BK Hariprasad who heads the electionmanagement in-charge of Bengal said, "farmers are everywhere in thecountry and the BJP has ditched the farmers. The impact will be seen in thepolls and BJP will pay the price of not withdrawing the farm laws.
"Its not only the Congress but the TMC MPs too haveopposed the farm laws vehemently.
But observers feel the impact may be marginal and Punjabmay be the exception but the swing in favour of the Congress in comparison withthe 2015 municipal corporation elections in Bathinda, Hoshiarpur, Moga andPathankot districts is manifest in the fact that from 11 seats back then, theparty's tally has improved to a whopping 149 seats.
Now it is evident that if the farmers protest goes panIndia, the BJP may have to bear the cost.
The Assembly polls in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu,Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry are scheduled in April-May thisyear. While the BJP is the main party in Assam and West Bengal, it has analliance with the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.