The Narendra Modi government's decision to repeal the three contentious farm laws clears the way for former Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to enter the electoral scene full throttle with the Bhartiya Janata Party as an ally. However, how far he will be allowed by the BJP to take credit for the roll back of the legislation and the impact that he will have in the elections is unclear.
Amarinder was prompt in reacting to Modi's announcement that the three farm laws against which farmers have been agitating for a year will be withdrawn, thanking the Prime Minister for acceding to the farmers' demands on the pious occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti. He also said that he looked forward to working closely with the BJP-led Centre for the development of farmers.
The former chief minister also reminded that he had been pursuing the matter with the Centre for the last one year and had met the Prime Minister as also Home Minister Amit Shah requesting them to heed the voice of the farmers.
Amarinder, who was in September forced by his party to step down as chief minister, had since then projected himself as a leader who could help resolve the farmers' issues. He had met the home minister and talked about the backchannel discussions that were being carried out under the supervision of Shah with the farmers. He had also declared that he would look to having a seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP if the farmers' issues were resolved.
The decision to withdraw the farm laws is expected to add another twist to the election scene in Punjab since the farmers' unrest formed the backdrop for the politics over the last one year. The BJP, which had become a pariah in the state and the focus of farmers' ire, can now hope to at least get an entry into the electoral field.
In the event of a tie-up with Amarinder, the party, which has so far piggybacked on the Akali Dal's prowess in the state, will have a veteran leader in its camp. For the octogenerian Amarinder, the alliance will help him enter the electoral arena backed up by resources and boots on the ground provided by the BJP. The Amarinder camp has also hinted at the possibility of farmer leaders joining him.
The immediate impact of the development is that the elections in Punjab, which used to be a bipolar contest between the Congress and the Akali-BJP combine, will see a multi-cornered contest for the first time.
Also, Amarinder is expected to act as a spoiler for other parties, and while he would want to damage the prospects of the Congress, his parent party, he might end up harming Congress' rivals by splitting the electorate looking at non-Congress options.
Amarinder is believed to be eyeing the Hindu votes in urban centres with his plans to ally with the BJP, since he is said to still retain a certain traction amongst Hindus even as he finds himself unpopular in rural areas and amongst the farming community.
Meanwhile, it is unclear if Amarinder will be allowed to emerge as the person responsible for the government deciding to take back the farm laws. With PM Modi himself announcing the decision, the BJP's intent to have complete ownership of the move is clear. Also it is being pointed out by political observers that while the BJP was the junior partner in the alliance with the Akalis, in the tie-up with Amarinder, it will look to be the senior partner.
