Saini woos Punjab: Caste equations shape BJP plan

HARYANA Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s recent visits to Punjab are part of a broader political strategy, not mere ceremonial engagements. His floral tribute to Shaheed Udham Singh in Sunam, tree-planting drive and outreach in the Puadh belt — home to a sizeable Saini community — reveal the BJP’s intent to penetrate Punjab’s fractured political space ahead of the 2027 elections. Saini, the BJP’s OBC face in Haryana, is clearly being positioned as a bridge between the two states. His visits to Sikh-dominated areas, gurdwaras and symbolic gestures aimed at the community's pride are calculated moves to soften the party’s image in a state where the BJP has long struggled with credibility among Sikhs, especially after the BJP’s split with the SAD. The Haryana government’s plan to build a Sikh museum in Kurukshetra on the lines of Virasat-e-Khalsa also assumes significance in this light.