SAD’s winning streak continues, no end to Cong crisis

The emphatic triumph in the Dhuri Assembly election has not only given a clear majority in the House to the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), but the party has also managed to further push the Opposition on the back foot.

While today’s victory has increased the SAD record to 59 in the 117-member Vidhan Sabha-a first in eight years since the SAD-BJP rule came to power in 2007-the Congress’ count has further reduced to 43.

The Akali Dal would no longer be reliant on its partner BJP for support to remain in power in the state.

Another ballot test for the Opposition Congress may be revoked as the Punjab and Haryana High Court had recently nullified the election of the party’s Bhadaur MLA Mohammad Sadique.

While the SAD leaders under the control of Chief Minster Parkash Singh Badal were campaigning aggressively in Dhuri, the Congress party were busy showing each other in poor light.

Bajwa, for his part, has applied the Dhuri defeat to the “blatant use of muscle and money power and misuse of the government machinery by the Akalis”.

The vote-bank of AAP also seems to have shifted to the Akali Dal.

By winning the Dhuri bypoll, SAD supremo Sukhbir Badal has proved once again that there was no one around to match his capability as far as organising campaigns are involved. The Badal Senior too spent most of the time in the constituency and ensured that all his ministers and other leaders also worked alongside to ensure an splendid win.