BJP targets Punjab’s Dalit and OBC blocs ahead of 2027 polls – The party is courting Scheduled Castes, who make up 31.91 % of Punjab’s population per the 2011 Census, and Other Backward Classes, estimated at 25‑30 % of the electorate, to build a new social‑engineering base [1].
Modi’s Feb 1 visit to Dera Sachkhand Ballan signals Dalit outreach – Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the 649th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas at the dera in Jalandhar, meeting head Sant Niranjan Dass (Padma Shri awardee) and invoking his own Varanasi (Kashi) roots to appeal to Dalit voters [1].
Punjab’s SC community is fragmented across dozens of castes and Deras – Around three dozen Dalit castes, many aligned with sects such as Radha Soami, Namdhari, Dera Sacha Sauda, Nurmahal, Nirankari and Dera Sach Khand Balan, influence at least 56 of the state’s 117 assembly seats, making unified voting difficult [1].
Haryana’s 2024 success informs BJP’s Punjab strategy – In Haryana, the BJP raised its tally in the 17 SC‑reserved seats from five (2019) to eight (2024) and won the election; now CM Nayab Singh Saini, an OBC leader, tours Punjab, contrasting Haryana’s ₹2,100 women‑assistance scheme with Punjab’s promised ₹1,100 [1].
Punjab‑level recruitment and pro‑Sikh moves have yet to yield seats – After parting with the SAD in 2020, the BJP absorbed Sikh figures like former CM Amarinder Singh and minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, plus Hindu leader Sunil Jakhar, and highlighted initiatives such as the 1984‑riots SIT, Kartarpur Corridor, and GST waiver on langar; nevertheless it won only two seats in 2022 and none in the 2024 Lok Sabha, despite vote share rising to 18.56 % [1].
Multi‑pronged social engineering aims to crack Punjab’s electoral code – The combination of Modi’s dera visit, Saini’s OBC outreach, and high‑profile leader inductions constitutes a concerted effort to reshape Punjab’s caste‑based politics, though its effectiveness remains to be seen [1].