Punjab BJP is celebrating its civic poll gains as if the road to 2027 has suddenly become much smoother. After finishing behind AAP, Congress, SAD and even Independents in the overall tally, party leaders are still presenting the results as proof that a major breakthrough is around the corner. In Punjab, BJP’s biggest victories often seem to come in press conferences long before they arrive at the ballot box. Is Punjab BJP genuinely getting closer to becoming a serious contender for power, or has the party perfected the art of declaring moral victories while waiting for actual electoral ones ?
पंजाब भाजपा स्थानीय निकाय चुनावों में अपनी बढ़त का जश्न ऐसे मना रही है, मानो 2027 का रास्ता अचानक काफी आसान हो गया हो। 'आप', कांग्रेस, शिरोमणि अकाली दल और यहां तक कि निर्दलीयों से भी पीछे रहने के बावजूद, पार्टी नेता इन नतीजों को बड़े राजनीतिक बदलाव की शुरुआत बता रहे हैं। पंजाब में भाजपा की सबसे बड़ी जीतें कई बार मतदान केंद्रों से पहले प्रेस कॉन्फ्रेंसों में ही दिखाई देने लगती हैं। क्या पंजाब भाजपा सचमुच सत्ता की गंभीर दावेदार बनने के करीब पहुंच रही है, या फिर पार्टी ने वास्तविक चुनावी जीत का इंतज़ार करते हुए नैतिक जीतों का जश्न मनाने की कला में महारत हासिल कर ली है ?
Kewal Singh Dhillon’s appointment as Punjab BJP chief has sparked an uncomfortable question for Captain Amarinder Singh. Despite Dhillon long being seen as one of Captain’s closest political associates, Captain quickly distanced himself from the decision and denied any role in it. Since joining BJP, Captain’s influence has often appeared far smaller than many expected, with key decisions increasingly driven by Delhi. The real question now is, if even Kewal Dhillon’s rise is not being linked to Captain Amarinder Singh, how much real political influence does the former Punjab Chief Minister still carry inside BJP today ?
