Jalandhar Byelection: Followers in mind, leaders make a beeline for deras

Deepkamal Kaur

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Jalandhar, April 21

After the Jalandhar Lok Sabha (reserved) bypoll schedule was announced, deras have become the favourite place of leaders of almost all political parties.

The seat has nine Assembly segments of which four — Phillaur, Kartarpur, Adampur and Jalandhar (West) — are reserved. It is on these segments that the dera factor could play a significant role.

It is estimated that Jalandhar has nearly 38 per cent voters from the Dalit community. Of these, the Ravidassia or the Adi Dharam community comprises nearly 22 per cent and Valmiki/Majhbi Sikhs form the remaining nearly 16 per cent. While the Congress, SAD-BSP and AAP chose to field candidates from the more dominant Adi Dharam Samaj, the BJP has placed its bet on a Majhbi Sikh face, Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal.

The deras have been the first-stop point for all contestants from the main political parties after the announcement of their candidature. Almost all contestants have visited Dera Sachkhand Ballan, the most popular dera for the dominant Dalit community of Doaba, since the declaration of their candidature, be it Congress’ Karamjit Chaudhary or AAP’s Sushil Rinku or SAD-BSP’s Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi.

Paramjit Kainth of the Chamar Maha Sabha, however, maintains, “We are not supporting any candidate as we cannot see anyone truly standing for the community. They are all opportunists. Even the dera factor is more of a hype since the last few years.”

Dalit writer Des Raj Kali has also been terming the dera factor purely an illusion and claims that no dera enjoys a sway with the people.

Days before the elections were announced, AAP national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and CM Bhagwant Mann had organised a rally at Dera Ballan and handed over a cheque of Rs 25 crore to Sant Niranjan Dass for setting up a research centre in the name of Guru Ravidas.

It created a political controversy as the Congress claimed that former CM Charanjit Channi had already handed over a cheque of the same amount for the same work in December 2021. However, the AAP government had taken it back on coming to power and returned the same ahead of the bypoll, the Congress claimed. After Channi’s attack on AAP calling it anti-Dalit, CM Mann had visited an the under-construction site near Khuralgarh Sahib and held a rally there.

BJP spokesperson Nimisha Mehta yesterday alleged that Guru Ravidas’ meditation site at Khuralgarh frequented by the Dalit community did not have the provision of even drinking water and a safe road, and she blamed the ruling AAP for this.

Channi has been devout follower of Dera Ballan. As the CM, he used to visit the dera often, partaking of langar and even spending a night there. But he has been visiting almost all deras of Doaba since his visits here in the last two weeks. Yesterday, he and LoP Partap Singh Bajwa met Baba Jaspal Singh at Dera Baba Brahm Dass, Phillaur. On Wednesday, he was at the historical Guru Ravidas Temple of Chak Hakim in Phagwara. The same day he paid obeisance at Sant Nirmal Dass of Baba Jaure, who is also the president of the Guru Ravidas Sadhu Sampradaye Society.

Two days ago, even Sukhbir Badal had met Adi Dharam Samaj head and Valmiki leader Darshan Ratan Rawan. He had also gone to meet Kashmira Singh of the SGL group, who has followers from the Lubana community.

After scrutiny, 19 left in fray

After the scrutiny of nomination papers on Friday, 19 candidates are left in fray. The candidates have been allowed to withdraw their nomination papers till April 24 before 3 pm

Eye on 38% Dalit votes

• The seat has nine Assembly segments of which four — Phillaur, Kartarpur, Adampur and Jalandhar (West) — are reserve. It is on these segments that thedera factor plays a larger role
• Jalandhar has 38% voters from the Dalit community Of these, the Ravidasia or the Adi Dharam community comprises 22%. Valmiki/Majhbi Sikhs form the remaining nearly 16%