BJP’s poll outreach blends reverence with relevance

In a move that blends reverence with political strategy, the BJP-led Haryana Government under Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini is holding a series of programmes across the state to commemorate the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur. The month-long observance will culminate in a state-level event at Kurukshetra on November 25.

District officials have been instructed to ensure active participation of school students and senior citizens, with the government emphasising that the aim is to inspire people with the Guru’s life, teachings and supreme sacrifice.

While the commemoration carries deep religious significance, it also comes amid the BJP’s broader outreach to the Sikh community — both within Haryana and neighbouring Punjab, where Assembly elections are due in 2027. The government’s recent announcement of a Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Memorial at Lohgarh in Yamunanagar is being viewed as part of the same effort to deepen cultural and emotional engagement.

However, analysts say the BJP’s community outreach goes beyond immediate electoral considerations. Its Sant Mahapurush Vichar Samman Evam Prasar Yojana, launched during Manohar Lal Khattar’s tenure, reflects a sustained attempt to engage diverse castes and communities throughout the year by honouring saints, social reformers and spiritual leaders.

Continuing that approach, CM Saini will attend the birth anniversary celebrations of Maharaja Shoor Saini, a revered figure from his own community, at Narnaul on November 16. Over recent years, the government has also marked the anniversaries of Bhagwan Parshuram, Dhanna Bhagat, Sant Namdev, Maharishi Valmiki, Guru Gorakhnath and Lord Vishvakarma, among others.

According to officials, the objective is to promote communal harmony and rekindle respect for moral and spiritual values through the legacies of saints and reformers.

“Observing the birth and death anniversaries of saints and great men is an attempt to reconnect with our roots and the guiding principles they lived by,” said Parveen Attrey, media secretary to the Chief Minister. “It’s not about wooing any particular community. These great minds belong to all. Politics has nothing to do with this small effort to keep their teachings alive among the younger generation.”

Political observers, however, note that the approach naturally helps the ruling party connect with smaller communities that may have felt ignored in the past.

“Such programmes create goodwill and help the government signal that every community’s icons are valued. When welfare announcements accompany these events, the positive sentiment only deepens,” said a political analyst.