Politics in Punjab is in turmoil. Defections and inductions have become key factors for all political parties heading for one of the fiercest general elections in the State. No political party can claim of being represented by its own cadre or original party workers as its candidates.

Women and youth have been denied their rightful due. Bureaucrats of all hues and cries – civil servants, policemen and diplomats – have opted for politics for their second innings and major beneficiaries are two major political parties – BJP and Congress. Sportspersons and other runners from the glamour world, too, did not find much favour with the political parties. Some old guards wanted to stage a comeback. They sulked, protested and even threatened to walk out but were consoled and persuaded to stay back.

Some others, including those from Taksali ranks, bade farewell to their previous political havens as they got lured into new havens, they never tried before.

A few others decided to part ways from the political set ups they started their career with but are still groping in the dark about their future. Punjab never had it like this before. For the first time in many years, this border State will go to polls without any alliance in the run. Each party, new or old, big or small, is getting into the biggest political battle of the century with more than a billion voters in the country itching to elect a new government in the country. Problems facing the country, including unemployment’, corruption, population explosion and inflation, are getting aggravated day by day.

Parties are busy in scathing attacks on individuals than work on mitigating the sufferings of their people. They say all is fair in love and war. And this is only a battle to garner political power in the country. God bless both voter and voted.

(Prabhjot Singh is a veteran journalist with over three decades of experience of 14 years with Reuters News and 30 years with The Tribune Group, covering a wide spectrum of subjects and stories. He has covered Punjab and Sikh affairs for more than three decades besides covering seven Olympics and several major sporting events and hosting TV shows.)