BJP looks at influential sect followers’ votes for hat-trick

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 13

By granting 21-day furlough to head of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the run-up to the upcoming Assembly elections, the ruling BJP is apparently eyeing votes of the followers of the influential sect.

In fact, the furlough is seen as a clever strategy by the saffron party to beat anti-incumbency in the Assembly polls in a bid to form government for the third time in a row.

It’s Not a political decision

There was nothing political in the grant of furlough to the dera chief. The decision regarding the grant of parole/furlough to the dera chief is taken by the local administration on the recommendation of the Jail authorities. The BJP has nothing to do with the grant of parole/furlough... Ranjit Singh, Jails minister, Haryana

BJP sources conceded that the Dera votes could be a game-changer for the party as it was locked in a tough contest with a resurgent Congress in the forthcoming Assembly polls. “The furlough to the godman will send a right signal to the followers of the Dera Sacha Sauda, who play a deciding role in a number of Assembly segments in certain districts, including Sirsa, Ambala, Fatehabad, Kurukshstra and Hisar,” a senior BJP leader said.

The Dera has been a vocal supporter of the BJP in the subsequent elections. The Dera support was crucial for the maiden victory of the BJP in the 2014 Assembly elections in the state.

In fact, just before the 2014 Assembly elections, Kailash Vijayvargiya, the then BJP’s incharge for Haryana, reportedly took 40 candidates of the party to Dera chief to Sirsa to “seek his blessings”. The Dera later extended support to the BJP much to chagrin of other political parties.

After the BJP formed the government on its own for the first time in Haryana’s electoral history, Vijayvargiya again led over 18 MLAs, including certain ministers, to Ram Rahim for a ‘thanksgiving’ visit to Sirsa. It may be recalled that before Ram Rahim’s conviction in 2017, several senior ministers of the ministry headed by former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar visited the Dera to seek Ram Rahim’s blessings. He also shared stage with Khattar during a sanitation campaign in Karnal.

While the Opposition cries foul to regular paroles/furloughs to Ram Rahim and Dera’s “open” support to the saffron party, the ruling BJP rubbishes these charges. Haryana Minister for Jails Ranjit Singh told The Tribune that there was nothing political over grant of parole/furlough to the Dera chief.

“The decision regarding the grant of parole and furlough to the Dera chief is taken by the local administration on the recommendation of the Jail authorities. The BJP has nothing to do with the grant of parole and furlough,” the minister asserted.