CHANDIGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is showcasing strong progress in Punjab, confirming the exit poll results. As per the latest reports, AAP has a lead in 70 seats. The Congress, which is in power, is leading only in 20 seats. Hints suggest that many of the prominent Congress leaders are on the verge of defeat. Navjot Singh Sidhu is in the third position. Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi is also not in the forefront.

Conflict and mismanagement have shaken the base of the Congress in Punjab. The game played by Navjot Singh Sidhu against Captain Amarinder Singh is what led to the Congress’ misery in Punjab. The party had removed Amarinder Singh from the chief minister’s post, yielding to Sidhu’s compulsion. Sidhu had aimed for the chief minister’s chair, but got disappointed. In the end, he succeeded in getting Charanjit Singh Channi, his closest ally, to become the chief minister.

Ever since the party leadership gave in to Sidhu's decision, people in the state have been predicting the downfall of the Congress. Political observers had warned that replacing Amarinder Singh, the captain in Punjab politics, was an unwise decision, amid the upcoming assembly polls. However, the Congress leadership failed to realize it. It was Amarinder’s strong stances that had kept the BJP and Akali Dal away from power in Punjab. He was the reason why the BJP or Akali Dal failed to destroy Congress in the state. Even when the party collapsed in many of its power centres like Goa, it stood firm in Punjab. Congress MLAs also remained faithful to the party.

Amarinder, a long-time loyalist of the high command, had been removed from the chief minister’s post by the Congress without any second thought. As a wounded lion, he allied with the BJP. Although he did not pose much challenge in the current polls, the BJP-Amarinder alliance has performed well.

There is no doubt that if the Congress leadership does not recognize the present state of the party and take strong decisions accordingly, it will soon fall into oblivion, as happened in other states.