ISAS Insights

The Legislative Assembly elections in the sub-national Indian State of Punjab are slated for 4 February 20171. At stake are 117 seats, and the ruling alliance, consisting of Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party (SAD-BJP), is seeking a third term in office after having won the last elections in 2012. This paper argues that the SAD-BJP alliance is likely to face an uphill task now. The reported surge in anti-incumbency sentiment is due to the ruling coalition’s inability to deal with social ills such as high unemployment, the drug menace and the plight of debt-ridden farmers. The family of the incumbent Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has also come under fire for allegedly using its political connections to advance its business interests. These factors may dampen the ruling party’s vote in the upcoming elections, according to observers.