“Victory in Bengal is ours, now it is Punjab’s flip” these slogans have been raised on the Delhi BJP headquarters after profitable the elections in Bengal, following which PM Modi addressed the employees from right here. This slogan clearly signifies BJP’s intentions concerning the 2027 elections in Punjab.
The sport that BJP performed with Mamata Banerjee in Bengal might now be replicated with the Aam Aadmi Social gathering (AAP) in Punjab. However is all this really easy? Will there be one thing like Hindu-Sikh polarization in Punjab too? What precisely can be BJP’s sport plan for Punjab? Dainik Bhaskar spoke to three specialists about this to know what BJP’s technique could be to beat Punjab.
Punjab troublesome for BJP, however occasion will provide you with totally different set of politics
They defined that Punjab is actually troublesome for BJP, however the occasion will do politics right here another way, in order that Punjab’s feelings usually are not tampered with and it may possibly additionally join Sikhs with itself. That is additionally as a result of opposition events painting BJP as solely a celebration of Hindus.
1. Will BJP polarize on the idea of faith in Punjab?
Engineer Pawandeep Sharma said, “Polarization on the idea of faith like Bengal isn’t attainable in Punjab. BJP’s personal coverage is that it can’t view Hindus and Sikhs individually. Additionally, the variety of Sikhs in Punjab is greater, so there will not be a lot profit from polarization”.
He added, “As an alternative choice to this, BJP will make spiritual conversion a difficulty right here. House Minister Amit Shah has already hinted at this within the Moga rally, when he stated that as quickly as BJP’s authorities is fashioned in Punjab, a regulation in opposition to spiritual conversion will come within the first cupboard assembly”.
He additional stated, “This can be BJP’s technique that on the problem of non secular conversion itself, the saffron occasion can attempt to polarize Sikh-Hindu voters in its favor”.
2. What benefit will BJP get from making conversion a difficulty?
Professor KK Rattu said, “The Christian inhabitants has grown quickest in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district. Based on the 2011 census, the Dalit inhabitants right here was 7.68%, i.e., 1.77 lakh, which has now elevated to an estimated greater than 4 lakh. Out of the 6 meeting seats right here, 4 have Congress MLAs and two have AAP MLAs”.
He added, “Whereas the development of non secular conversion is throughout Punjab, it’s extra prevalent in border areas. These embrace Gurdaspur together with Amritsar, Pathankot, Fazilka, Tarn Taran, Firozpur, Ludhiana, Kapurthala, Bathinda and Jalandhar districts. These areas can actually be affected by this problem”.
3. What might be BJP’s technique for the 2027 Punjab elections?
Engineer Pavandeep Sharma additional stated, “Deras (non secular facilities) play an essential function in Punjab elections, and BJP has already ready a technique to interact with the deras. BJP’s high management is involved with the deras”.
He added, “The Prime Minister just lately visited Dera Sachkhand Ballan. Earlier than that, BJP’s high leaders have additionally visited Radha Soami Dera. By means of these spiritual facilities, BJP can be working to win over Punjab’s 38% Dalit and OBC voters”.
He additionally said, “The benefit of that is that each Hindus and Sikhs are linked to the deras, so there can be no want for polarization based mostly on faith right here”.
4. How will BJP counter the anti-farmer narrative that also exists in opposition to it in Punjab?
Former Vice Chancellor of PAU, Dr. Kirpal Singh Aulakh stated, “The most important problem earlier than BJP is the anti-farmer narrative itself. 700 farmers died within the farmers’ motion, this problem was additionally raised by CM Bhagwant Mann after the Bengal outcomes. Getting out of that is BJP’s downside”.
He added, “Sure, if BJP offers MSP on crops and waiver on agricultural loans like Haryana, then farmers can help BJP. The farmers of Punjab haven’t been given something particular by any authorities until now”.
He additional stated, “AAP additionally got here with the promise of MSP however couldn’t ship that both. Earlier than this, there have been Congress and Akali Dal governments, they too couldn’t accomplish that”.
5. BJP is taken into account a celebration of Hindus, that is why Sikhs do not help it, how will this narrative be damaged?
Dr. Kirpal additionally stated, “Radical Sikhs are in opposition to BJP they usually have set a story in opposition to the occasion. BJP can finish the narrative of being anti-Sikh by releasing Sikh prisoners from jail. Most Sikh prisoners have accomplished their sentences and there can be no authorized hurdle in releasing them. This may allow a big part of Sikhs to return with lotus with none downside”.
6. What gameplan can BJP make for Sikh-dominated rural seats?
Professor Dr. KK Rattu, former Dean of DAU College stated, “BJP additionally is aware of this. That is why it focuses on city seats. Nevertheless, authorities formation desires can’t be fulfilled with this alone. That is why you should have seen that BJP is inducting Sikh faces with private mass base in rural areas into the occasion”.
He added, “By means of this, it may possibly make inroads into the agricultural vote financial institution. Nevertheless, till the farmers’ protest ends, profitable in rural areas could also be troublesome for BJP”.
7. Will BJP create divisions in opposition events?
On this regard, Dr. KK Rattu stated, “BJP lacks leaders in Punjab whom we are able to name profitable faces. To carry leaders with profitable functionality, BJP will certainly create divisions in opposition events”.
He added, The occasion’s important focus can be on breaking Congress and AAP as a result of on one hand the saffron occasion will develop into stronger and then again these two main events will develop into weaker. BJP should have already began planning for this”.
8. At present in Punjab, CM Bhagwant Mann can be AAP’s greatest face, what might be the plan for him?
On this regard, Engineer Pavandeep Sharma stated, “It’s completely appropriate that in Punjab’s present political environment, CM Bhagwant Mann is the face on which the complete AAP relies upon. BJP will first attempt to infiltrate AAP. There can be an try and set a story of creating the CM fail over not implementing central schemes”.
He added, “Like Bengal, regulation and order can be made a difficulty. Aside from this, AAP may also attempt to show the federal government as failed on a number of points like VIP tradition, sand mafia. If they can construct a story in opposition to Bhagwant Mann, the outcomes might be stunning”.
9. Who might play an important function for BJP in Punjab elections?
Professor Dr. KK Rattu additional stated, “To nook Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal, the occasion gave essential accountability to Suvendu Adhikari. He was constantly combating in opposition to Mamata and that is why he was profitable in defeating her”.
He added, “In Punjab, at the moment BJP does not have any such chief who can nook Bhagwant Mann. Sunil Jakhar is an effective chief however not a mass chief. The occasion can discipline Ravneet Singh Bittu in opposition to Bhagwant Mann”.
