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If the Congress prefers not to have pictures of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi on its campaign material, it is understandable. But why the Shiromani Akali Dal fails to mention the achievements of Sant Harchand Singh Longowal and Fateh Singh beats comprehension.
Indira Gandhi is still anathema in Punjab. Most blame her for creating the monster of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and then sending the army into the Golden Temple in Amritsar during Operation Blue Star in 1984.
Her son Rajiv Gandhi, however, is visible on rare occasions, especially in public meetings of Captain Amarinder Singh who had close personal relations with the former prime minister.
Rajiv Gandhi is disliked for not pursuing the perpetrators of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, which followed Indira Gandhi's assassination by her bodyguards, both Sikhs.
All official publicity material, local leaders say, do not even mention Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi.
It is Sonia Gandhi and Captain Amarinder Singh who are visible everywhere.
In the opposite camp, the SAD is avoiding invoking the legacies of the late Sant Fateh Singh and late Sant Harchand Singh Longowal.
Fateh Singh is the founder of the Punjabi Suba movement and among the most respected 20th century figures of Punjab. He has traditionally been an Akali icon.
Longowal, famous for the path-breaking peace accord he signed with Rajiv Gandhi, too is absent from the Akali Dal campaign.
Arjun Singh, the Congress leader who played a key role in the accord as the then Punjab governor, tried to kick up a controversy recently by saying that Badal had opposed the accord, which anyway is no secret.
Both Badal and the other Sikh leader with a substantial following Gurcharan Singh Tohra had boycotted the accord though the three of them had formed the triumvirate that led the Akali Dal during the turbulent eighties.
This could be the reason for Longowal's absence from the SAD campaign.
However, several Akali rebel candidates, and there is no shortage of them, have no qualms about invoking their names and are castigating the SAD for ignoring these legends.
In fact, Fateh Singh's younger brother is canvassing for a SAD rebel in Joga constituency while a few close associates of Longowal are assisting some other rebels.
Another significant absentee is Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, who has sizeable influence in constituencies bordering Haryana.
The Satluj-Yamuna Link canal controversy has prevented the Jat leader from canvassing for the Akalis.
EARLIER REPORT: SYL canal verdict only adds to Badal's woes
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