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BJP bets on Sikh faces in six Lok Sabha segments
The move is being seen as saffron party’s efforts to woo Sikhs, particularly Jat Sikhs, who account for 21% of vote share in the state
Chandigarh
Contrary to its image of being a pro-Hindu party, the BJP has fielded Sikh faces, mostly Jat Sikhs, on six of the total 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab.
The move comes after the BJP last month announced to contest all 13 LS seats in Punjab on its own, ending speculation about the Shiromani Akali Dal’s return to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and setting the stage for a four-cornered fight in the state. This is the first time since 1996 that the BJP and the SAD, one of the oldest constituents of the NDA which parted ways over the 2020-21 farm law protests, are fighting the Lok Sabha polls alone in the state.
The BJP has fielded former ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu from Amritsar, sitting MP Preneet Kaur, who joined the BJP recently, from Patiala, former IAS officer Parampal Kaur from Bathinda, sitting MP Ravneet Singh Bittu, who quit the Congress and joined the BJP last month, from Ludhiana, Manjeet Singh Manna from Khadoor Sahib and Rana Gurmeet Sodhi from Ferozepur. Barring Sodhi, all are Jat Sikhs.
The move is being seen as the saffron party’s efforts to woo Sikhs, particularly Jat Sikhs, who account for 21% of vote share in the state.
The BJP has been building bridges with the community, inducting Sikh faces into the party.
In the list of office-bearers announced by Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar early this year, over 40% (17 out of 40) are Sikhs.
According to a senior BJP leader, the party is also relying on the massive outreach undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi towards Sikhs. “After the Centre’s decision, Veer Bal Diwas, commemorating the martyrdom of sons of 10th Sikh master Guru Gobind Singh, was observed at the state levels. Modi has been leading the efforts to engage with the Sikh community as his government had taken several steps, including opening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, besides celebrating the birth anniversaries of Sikh Gurus,” the leader said.
The party has also tried to strike a balance among various communities while picking candidates for the 13 Lok Sabha seats. Besides fielding six Sikh candidates, the BJP has fielded three candidates from the Hindu community ---- Subhash Sharma from Anandpur Sahib, Arvind Khanna from Sangrur and Dinesh Babbu from Sangrur --- striking a caste balance. While Subhash Sharma is a Brahmin, Babbu is Rajput and Khanna is from the Baniya community.
On four seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes as well, the party has tried to strike a balance by giving two seats each to the Ravidassia community and Valmiki communities, the two communities that dominate the Dalit political landscape in the state.
In the Doaba region, dominated by the Ravidassia community, the party has fielded Anita Som Parkash from Hoshiarpur and Sushil Kumar Rinku from Jalandhar, both belonging to the community.
In Fatehgarh Sahib Faridkot, both reserved seats, falling under the Malwa region, the party has chosen Valmiki faces --- Hans Raj Hans from Faridkot and Geja Ram Valmiki from Fatehgarh Sahib.
The BJP has fielded three women candidates, the maximum by any party in the state. The party has fielded former IAS officer Parampal Kaur from Bathinda, sitting MP Som Parkash’s wife Anita Som Parkash from Hoshiarpur and sitting MP Preneet Kaur from Patiala.
State BJP chief Sunil Jakhar said the party has tried to give representation to all communities in Punjab.
“If you compare it with the candidates of other parties, you will find one section or the other being ignored,” said Jakhar.
