The ruling AAP and Opposition Congress, the constituents of the INDIA bloc at the national level, may not have come together to contest the Lok Sabha elections in Punjab, but they are united in spinning a narrative for the polls and telling the electorate that this is the country’s “last chance” to save the “hard-earned freedom”.
The AAP and Congress are giving clarion calls to the electorate to vote to save democracy and the Constitution of India. From Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to senior leaders of rival Congress party, everyone has been underlining that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is allowed to rule at the Centre yet again, these Lok Sabha elections would be the last and the country would move towards “single political party’s dictatorial rule”.
In an interview with The Indian Express recently, CM Mann said, “These polls are very important. Agar log chook gaye, to Russia ki tarah, Putin ki tarah bas main, main, main hoga, aur vipaksh khatam (If people miss this time, India will be like Russia, Putin, and there won’t be any Opposition).
While speaking at a function at Zirakpur organised to introduce Lok Sabha candidates of the AAP Last week, Mann said, “These elections are not just elections. These elections lend a ray of hope to protect the democracy and Constitution. A dictator emerged on the scene. He is putting leaders of rival parties in jails. But when such limits are crossed then God takes out his broom and cleanses”.
Before him, many party candidates have voiced a similar opinion. Pawan Tinu, a party hopper and AAP candidate from Jalandhar, said the Lok Sabha elections 2024 would be a decisive fight. “These elections will lead to the rewriting of history. It will be recorded as to who stood by the Constitution. After all, there is a threat to democracy,” said Tinu.
Dr Dharamvira Gandhi, the Congress candidate from Patiala, too has been campaigning in his constituency and asking his people to vote to oust the BJP. He said, “This election will decide the direction of the country as to whether it will stay a democratic setup or move towards single-party dictatorship. This election is important. I am not here to contest elections. I am here to help Congress. This is not an ordinary election. This is crucial to save democracy”.
Congress sitting MP from Anandpur Sahib, Manish Tewari, who is the party’s candidate from Chandigarh this time, warned the people that if they remained complacent in saving the democracy and constitution, facing a grave threat at this crucial juncture, the ongoing parliamentary polls could be the last one.
While campaigning in Chandigarh recently, Tewari said the country had slipped into the same political predicament it had confronted in 1947. “As in 1947, the country is again facing severe pulls and pushes whether to strive for a secular and democratic republic or to get swayed by the religious fantasy allowing it to become a theocratic state. India, at that time, chose to be a democratic polity and strengthened it as the world’s largest democracy,” he said.
The Shiromani Akali Dal is, however, hitting at all three national parties, including the AAP, Congress and the BJP, and asking people to vote for SAD, a regional party, to save the interests of the state as well as to strengthen the idea of federalism.
SAD leader Parambans Singh Bunty Romana said, “We are a regional party taking on national parties. For a state like Punjab, a regional party is important to protect the rights of the states. Only regional parties will concentrate on the rights and issues of the state. We are also a minority state. No other party will stand guard for the Sikh rights as SAD, Punjab’s own party. “
He added, “Besides regionalism, we are also seeking votes on development. Tell me which party brought maximum development projects to the state. Most of the development works took place during our regime. And who brought the idea of free power, atta-dal to Punjab? It was Badal Sahib (former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal).”
On its part, the BJP has been telling people not to get taken in by the narrative created by the INDIA bloc constituents.
Preneet Kaur, former Congress leader and the BJP’s Patiala candidate, said, “They are saying democracy is in danger. Has anyone asked anyone not to vote? Democracy means people are allowed to vote as per their wishes. Nobody will be stopped. Everybody will be going inside to vote. Vote is your right. Use it. But do not believe in this narrative. Do not get taken in by all this narrative”.
Lok Sabha election 2024 will be held in a single phase on June 1 and the votes will be counted on June 4.