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2027 poll push: Nabin to kick off Dalit outreach yatra in Jalandhar on Nov 18
Dera Sachkhand Ballan holds considerable religious and social influence among the Ravidassia community in Punjab, particularly in the Doaba region.
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To mark the 650th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas, the BJP will launch its six-day ‘Samrasta Sankalp Yatra’ from Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar on November 18. The yatra is part of the party’s Dalit outreach initiative to connect with the Scheduled Caste community ahead of the assembly polls scheduled for early 2027.
Party’s national president Nitin Nabin is scheduled to address a rally in Jalandhar on the inaugural day of the yatra.
Dera Sachkhand Ballan holds considerable religious and social influence among the Ravidassia community in Punjab, particularly in the Doaba region.
The proposed start from the dera is significant as the BJP has been making sustained efforts to strengthen its connect with the Scheduled Caste community, which constitutes nearly 32% of Punjab’s population.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Dera Sachkhand Ballan on February 1 this year on the occasion of Guru Ravidas Jayanti and met its head, Sant Niranjan Dass.
Days after the visit, Sant Niranjan Dass was announced as a Padma Shri recipient for his contributions to spirituality and social service. The Prime Minister’s visit was widely seen as a significant outreach to the Ravidassia community.
Modi again visited Jalandhar on July 17 and flagged off the Sant Ravidas Express—a new direct train connecting Amritsar with Varanasi. The service meets a long-standing demand from the Ravidassia community for direct rail connectivity to Guru Ravidas’s birthplace. The train was announced ahead of the 650th Parkash Purb celebrations of the saint.
The BJP’s focus on Jalandhar has been particularly visible over the past year, with two visits by the Prime Minister. Union home minister Amit Shah also addressed a rally in Jalandhar on September 30 to mark the culmination of the party’s Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra. Nabin too visited Jalandhar during his three-day Punjab tour in June and interacted with party workers as part of the organisational outreach ahead of the assembly elections.
The yatra will conclude on November 23 after covering several districts across Punjab. According to the programme released by the party, the first day’s journey on November 18 will cover Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Mukerian.
On November 19, the yatra will travel from Mukerian to Pathankot, Gurdaspur and Amritsar. The following day, it will cover Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur and Muktsar. On November 21, the yatra will proceed from Muktsar to Bathinda, Sangrur and Ludhiana. On November 22, it will cover Ludhiana, Ropar, SAS Nagar (Mohali) and Chandigarh, where it will halt overnight. On the final day, November 23, the participants will depart for Solan in Himachal Pradesh.
Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leadership held a meeting with senior Punjab BJP leaders in Chandigarh on Friday to assess the party’s political prospects and seek feedback on its electoral strategy. The question of a possible alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the BJP’s erstwhile partner, figured prominently. RSS leader Arun Kumar, who coordinates between the Sangh and the BJP on political affairs, along with other prominent RSS functionaries from the north, sought feedback on whether the BJP should contest the 2027 elections independently.
Several state leaders urged the RSS functionaries to take up the alliance question with the central leadership, arguing that prolonged uncertainty was affecting preparations. Some RSS functionaries, however, favoured going solo, saying it would help the BJP expand its organisational base in Punjab.
