After Delhi, AAP eyes Punjab

After the Aam Admi Party (AAP) swept the Delhi elections, deep fissures have emerged between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). On Tuesday, violent clashes erupted between BJP and SAD supporters in Punjab's Tarntaran district over distribution of tickets for the forthcoming Municipal Corporation Polls.A local Akali Dal leader allegedly opened fire on BJP Minister Anil Joshi's brother. Joshi has now alleged that that his family is facing threat from Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal's brother in law Bikram Majithia."If anything happens to my family Sukhbir Badal and Bikram Majithia will be responsible," Joshi said.  Shiromani Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa blamed BJP for the Delhi elections debacle. "We have lost (in Delhi) because of BJP," Sirsa said.Meanwhile, AAP members have already started the ground work in Punjab. AAP has strengthened itself in the Malwa region of Punjab with all four of its MPs hailing from there. All Punjab Chief Ministers so far have been from the Malwa region.Party Coordinator Avtar Singh from Sangrur said, "We have started our ground work."Assembly elections in Punjab are two years away. The ruling SAD-BJP combine has been witness to a resurgent BJP post Lok Sabha polls indicating they might break away from the partnership and contest on their own.

The Congress is at a new low in the state with its top leadership engaged in a public spat. The AAP surge in Delhi has prompted a rethink for the Akalis even as they continue to be in denial.Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said, "AAP will make no difference to us in Punjab. What has happened is a localised Delhi phenomenon. We will rethink our strategy."The first test for all parties will be the forthcoming bypoll in the Dhuri assembly constituency. While AAP has a strong footing there, the election and the outcome will be keenly watched.