bjp-making-deep-inroads-in-punjab-with-its-own-social-engineering

The Bharatiya Janata Party appears to be setting in its own and distinct social engineering process in Punjab. Facing stiff resistance from the farming community, it has increased its outreach among the non-farming community, particularly the Dalits and the urban Sikhs.

 

It may be trying to replicate the ‘Haryana-model’, where it mainly banked upon the non-Jat voters, in Punjab also, by focusing on the non-Jat Sikh communities.

 

The party already has a strong support base among the Hindu community in Punjab, which is likely to get manifested more prominently in parliamentary elections because of the Modi factor.

 

With increased outreach and inroads among the Dalits and the urban Sikh community, it can create an impactful, if not formidable yet, combination by bringing together Hindus, Dalits and urban Sikhs, who have not shown any resistance towards the party, under its fold.  

 

It is important to note that despite some opposition by some sporadic elements in the garb of farmer activists, the BJP continues to make deep inroads in 

Punjab, gradually, subtly and consistently. The party, despite the supposed resistance of farmers, has maintained its consistency in inducting leaders from various political parties, representing different communities, into its fold.

 

They include three sitting MPs, two from the Congress and one from the Aam Aadmi Party. Besides, it has won over, one sitting legislator from the ruling

 

AAP and the mother of another sitting legislator from the Congress. 

 

BJP’s opponents, by dismissing the party’s prospects in Punjab under the assumption that “nobody is going to vote for it in rural areas”, may better rethink their approach and strategy towards it (the BJP), as they may be in for a great shock.

 

On Saturday, two senior Congress leaders joined the BJP. They include Tajinder Singh Bittu, Secretary AICC and co-incharge for Himachal Pradesh and Karamjit Kaur, the wife of former Congress MP Chaudhary Santokh and mother of the sitting Congress MLA from Phillaur Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary.

 

Chaudhary Santokh died in January 2023 while walking along with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi between Ludhiana and Jalandhar during the Punjab leg of his Bharat Jodo Yatra. In the consequent by-election, his wife Ms Karamjit Kaur, who joined the BJP on Saturday, was fielded by the party from Jalandhar. She lost to Sushil Kumar Rinku of the AAP.

 

The Congress this time fielded former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi from Jalandhar. Channi undoubtedly is a far much stronger candidate than  Chaudhary would have been. Moreover, she had been accommodated in the by-election after the death of her husband and she lost. 

 

Karamjit Kaur’s father in law Master Gurbanta was a towering Dalit leader from Punjab. His two sons, late Chaudhary Jagjit and Chaudhary Santokh were also influential Dalit leaders in the Congress, both served as ministers in different Congress governments. Sons of both brothers became legislators. 

 

Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary represents the third generation in electoral politics.

 

Whatever the reasons, justified or not, that the family has now chosen the BJP over Congress, is reflective and indicative of growing acceptance of the saffron party in Punjab, particularly among the Dalit community. 

 

It already has some prominent Dalit leaders like Som Parkash and Vijay Sampla, although the latter is feeling somewhat alienated from the party right now. Susheel Kumar Rinku and Ms Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary will definitely add weight and force to the party’s Dalit outreach, particularly in the Doaba region, the epicentre of Dalit politics.

 

Tajinder Bittu may not be a very popular or a mass leader with a widespread base. But he represents the urban Sikh community, which is not averse to going along with the BJP. Another prominent urban Sikh leader, Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi is already in the BJP holding a senior position. Union Minister Hardeep Puri, yet another urban Sikh, is a familiar face in Punjab.

 

This combination of Hindu, Dalit and urban-Sikh communities, the way BJP is trying to form it, is likely to lead to some interesting and surprising results in

 

Punjab on June 4, much to the shock of many leaders and observers. 

 

And that will set a different tone for electoral politics in Punjab ahead of the 2027 provincial/assembly elections.