Alliance with Captain, Dhindsa a booster shot for Punjab BJP

(This story originally appeared in on Jan 09, 2022)

Even as BJP has played second fiddle to its former ally Akali Dal in previous polls in Punjab, the party is set to field candidates across the state in the changed political equations after forming an alliance with the political outfits of former CM Captain Amarinder Singh (Punjab Lok Congress) and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa (SAD-Sanyukta).

The recent breach in PM Narendra Modi’s security in Punjab is likely to be a key issue for BJP, which will aggressively highlight how Congress “compromised” with the PM’s security. In light of AAP’s recent gains, it might bring some urban Hindu voters back, the party feels, as the undertone of separatism is not too far below the surface in the manner in which Khalistani groups have backed protests against the PM.

BJP will keep Amarinder Singh, who takes a strong line on national security and Pakistan, upfront even as it works to try and undo a perception that the farm agitation had hurt Hindu-Sikh relations and the border state was being disturbed to the party’s detriment.

Union minister and BJP poll in-charge for Punjab Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the people of Punjab have seen how Congress leaders jeered and played down the risk to the PM.

“Punjab people have seen bickering among Congress leaders and the way its state president (Navjot Singh Sidhu) and CM (Charanjit Singh Channi) fought publicly over appointment of officers,” he said.

While announcing the repeal of the three farm laws, PM Modi had made it aptly clear that he had no doubts about the laws and their intentions but the government move was being taken in the wake of the agitations, which had its maximum participation from Punjab. The decision was seen as a bid to building Hindu-Sikh harmony and an effort to assuage sentiments of Punjab farmers.

BJP said the three parties have decided to issue a common “vision document” for the assembly polls and form a committee with two members from each party to decide on the particularities of sharing of seats.

Party sources said it will contest more than 50 of the 117 seats as it will field candidates in Majha and Doab, where Singh will get the maximum share in Malwa whereas Dhindsa’s party will focus on Sangrur.