Populism in Punjab Politics
Over the years, political parties across the ideological spectrum in Punjab, have used subsidies as a tool to lure voters.
In 2002, when Amarinder Singh took over as the chief minister, he drew criticism from the farmer community in the state for partially doing away with this subsidy. Since then, no government has made any significant changes to the power subsidy schemes in the state.
The Quint spoke to Tridivesh Singh Maini, political analyst and faculty member at the OP Jindal School of National Affairs, who closely watches Punjab. Maini told us that populist schemes have dominated the political landscape in the state since the late nineties. However, people are now yearning for a stronger regional force and a transparent government.
Maini further adds that voters in Punjab are increasingly looking for a regional alternative to mainstream parties. “The suspicion around the AAP in Punjab is the fear among voters that the party runs as per a high-command…