WSN Service
CHANDIGARH: The surrender is complete and the myth has exploded as suddenly as 4 had taken shape. He had arrived on the political scene a little more than a year ago riding on 3 sympathy wave and a landslide electoral victory. Once considered the messiah of hope and the last chance for Punjab Simranjit Singh Mann seems doomed to oblivion.
A little over a year after his release the Akali Dal president is today struggling to keep himself politically alive in the midst of an unending war of attrition in his party ranks.
These observations were made by the Times of India. If the recent merger of Akali factions under Manns leadership was meant to strengthen his hands the move has backfired. After the merger a still born arrangement the traditional Akali leaders like Parkash Singh Badal and Gurcharan Singh Tohra have chosen political hibernation cleverly leaving Mann to bear the brunt of the criticism aimed at their leadership.
Continued radicalization of Sikh politics followed by the temptation to ride the tiger in a mad race to establish militant credibility have combined to erode the credibility of this once forceful Akali Party which has primarily always represented the interests of Sikhs. The Akalis too like the common man are today cowed by the enormity of events now shaping the destiny of the Sikh nation.
A former state education minister and senior vice-president of the erstwhile Akali Dal led by Badal Sukhjader Singh known for his pro-Mann stance puts its bluntly There is little we can do now. Mr Mann cannot do anything in the face of the militants who will not allow him much room to maneuver
Apparently the Akali unity has not provided Mann the desired strength His claim that he has the backing of militants stands exposed
Meanwhile in the past one year Mann has been unable to keep his own party MPs together. His much publicized rally for Jan 26 at Ludhiana was cancelled at the last minute because of a bandh call by militants.
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