AAP gaining sympathy in Punjab over BJP stand against 21 MLA's in Delhi

Satinder Bains/Punjab News Express
CHANDIGARH: The issue of likely expulsion of 21 MLAs of Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) in Delhi may cost SAD-BJP alliance heavily in Punjab where elections are due in January 2017. Contrary to BJP stand in Delhi on the issue of appointment of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPCs), the party has different yard sticks in Punjab where SAD-BJP alliance government has appointed has 24 CPC's despite strong protest by the opposition parties.

The BJP and SAD understood to have planned the move to get 21 AAP MLAs disqualified on technical grounds to seek re-election on vacated Delhi seats before Punjab assembly elections to deflate the popularity of AAP in Punjab. The re-election on 21 assembly seats, if vacated, may also be held alongwith Punjab assembly elections. The strategy of SAD-BJP seems to keep Delhi Chief Minister busy in Delhi to delute their strangth in Punjab. SAD-BJP alliance is facing strong challenge from AAP.

SAD-BJP alliance government had recently appointed seven more CPCs taking the strength to 24-19 of SAD and 6 of BJP. BJP has toral 12 MLAs out of which 4 are cabinet ministeres, two other are given rank of state minister and five are CPCs. The Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had jstified the appointment of more CPCs saying they are the leaders of future and need training to handle ministries. "He quoted," Any one of them can become Chief Minister tomorrow".

The BJP leaders in Punjab have taken the stand that appointment of CPCs would help in distribution of burden of ministers and expanding base of welfare schemes. BJP has also stated that it was prerogative of the Chief Minister to appoint CPCs.

The decision of BJP not to agree with appointment of 21 MLA's of Delhi as CPC may or may not help BJP in Delhi but it is considered a sympathy factor in favour of AAP in Punjab. The AAP had also won the Delhi elections due to negative propaganda by BJP against AAP but hardly BJP has learned any action. It would be difficult for BJP to justify its different yard sticks for Punjab and Delhi. Even in other BJP rules tates, CPCs have been appointed.

BJP is holding President of India for returning the bill related to retrospective appointment of CPCs by Delhi Government. They however trying to cover the fact that President goes by the advice of Union cabinet. Since BJP rules in center, all bills passed by Delhi assembly route through Center Government before presented to President of India. President can send back the advice of Union cabinet for review only once and he is bound to acccept the recommndation of Union cabinet second time.

It is in common knowledge that Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, who is an appointee of Center Government is on logger heads with Kejriwal and he try to stall every deicison of AAP Government. The BJP policy of not allowing AAP Government to function normally and then blame it for non-functioning may not help BJP gain public sympathy.