Will AAP MLAs face the heat of this probable disqualification in the upcoming 2017 Punjab Assembly elections?

As Punjab braces for the Assembly Elections in 2017, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Admi Party is desperately eying triumph in the neighbouring state. Considering the tough competition between ruling SAD-BJP government, Congress and AAP, there will be an intensive political activity for the run up to wrestle the power.

AAP is fast gaining ground in the state after a worthy performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. As it had got an encouraging response in Punjab when all four of its candidates won in their maiden elections. Punjab was the only state where AAP won all the four seats it contested from.

Various surveys conducted earlier have also proven, AAP’s expected stronghold in Punjab for the upcoming Assembly elections. According to the findings of HuffPost-CVoter tracking polls survey, the debutant party seems to be a highly favorable sentiment predicting 94-100 seats out of total 117 seats.

Not only this, the survey also added that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who is AAP’s national convener is the most favored face as the chief ministerial candidate for Punjab.

According to another poll, AAP is expected to emerge as the largest party in the Punjab Assembly Elections 2017, while Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress is likely to win 16-20 seats with ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition on the third place with 9-13 seats, according to the survey by India Trending Now.

Anti-incumbency will not help the ruling government as it has been there for last ten years. But considering the current political situation of AAP in Delhi after the President of India Pranab Mukherjee refused to sign a bill that allowed 21 AAP MLAs to hold a second paying position as parliamentary secretary, this can prove to be a major political turmoil. This was basically a refusal to give assent to the Delhi government's Bill to exclude the post of Parliamentary Secretary from the office of profit.

Constitution prohibits legislators or parliamentarians from holding any positions with monetary or other benefits. Office of Profit is aimed at reducing conflict-of-interest situations for public representatives.

This came ahead of the different petitions that had been filed with the President seeking the disqualification of these lawmakers, appointed Parliamentary Secretaries by AAP on the ground that they occupied offices of profit and were being extended benefits that too above those allowed by the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

The infightings between the ruling SAD-BJP may help AAP gain some ground in the state. The Congress under Captain doesnt seem to have the fire power to create any trouble for ruling party.

Secondly, AAP rebel MPs Harinder Singh Khalsa and Dharamvira Gandhi have left the party holds after their tussle with Kejriwal for Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav’s expulsion from the party. It can hamper the chances of the debutant party in the state.

The PIL describes these appointments as ‘unconstitutional’, ‘illegal’ and ‘without jurisdiction’ and points out that Delhi Government can have a maximum of seven ministers. It further states that along with seven ministers in Kejriwal's Cabinet, these 21 people with minister status exceed that prescribed limit.

However, the 21 AAP MLAs have already filed their response to Election Commission on why they should not be disqualified for occupying offices of profit in violation of the Constitution. Amid all this, Kejriwal calls this a political vendetta by Center to hamper the smooth functioning of the Delhi government.

This puts the fate of 21 AAP MLAs in limbo for now which may pose a potential threat to the Delhi government. Aam Admi Party has 67 MLAs in the 70 member Delhi Assembly, even if 21 face disqualification, it will still have 46 MLAs in the Assembly where 36 are required to form the government. However, a mini-election sort of situation may arise. The Election Commission is expected to take a call on the same soon.

The state of Punjab faces a number of issues ranging from drug addiction, unemployment, corruption and receding water tables, the state is also becoming safe heaven for drug smugglers across the border. Amid all this, it remains to be seen what effect will this have on the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections? Would it bring down AAP’s possible chances of victory in the state of Punjab?

To woo the voters in advance, Kejriwal is learning to speak in Punjabi and read and write in Gurmukhi to feel the pulse of their culture. But would this all reap the benefits for the Punjab Assembly Elections 2017?