BJP holds kirtan darbar at Virasat-e-Khalsa

The BJP on Tuesday organised a kirtan darbar at Virasat-e-Khalsa, Anandpur Sahib, as part of the ongoing commemorations of the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur.

This is for the first time that the BJP has conducted a standalone Sikh religious programme in the state. Political observers view the event as a calibrated attempt by the BJP leadership to expand its influence among Sikh voters, a constituency where the party has had limited traction historically, ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

In the past, the BJP largely relied on its alliance with the SAD to connect with Sikh religious institutions. However, with the alliance with the SAD having collapsed, the BJP appears to be crafting a fresh, autonomous outreach strategy directed at the Sikh masses.

A high-profile delegation, including Union Minister for Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, state BJP president Sunil Jakhar, working BJP president Ashwani Sharma, former Union minister Parneet Kaur, BJP Parliamentary Board member Iqbal Singh Lalpura, state vice-president Subhash Sharma and former MP Avinash Rai Khanna visited Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib to pay obeisance before attending the kirtan darbar at Virasat-e-Khalsa.

Addressing the media, Shekhawat said the Modi government was commemorating Guru Teg Bahadur’s martyrdom at a global level to spread his message of sacrifice and religious freedom. He refrained from commenting on politically sensitive questions such as the release of Bandi Singhs, stating that he did not wish to make political statements on a solemn occasion.

Parneet Kaur said the state unit would send a proposal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting a special development package for Anandpur Sahib in honour of the 350th martyrdom anniversary.

The religious outreach, however, extends far beyond today’s event. The Punjab BJP has announced a series of programmes running till the end of the month, marking a structured, statewide attempt to directly approach Sikh households. These include district-level kirtan darbars up to November 30 and recitations of Sri Sukhmani Sahib on November 24 across all 628 BJP mandals in Punjab. Party leaders claim thousands of devotees are expected to participate.

Political analysts say these moves indicate a clear shift in the BJP’s Punjab strategy, instead of relying on alliances or restricting itself to urban Hindu pockets, the party is positioning itself as a stakeholder in Sikh religious and cultural issues.

With the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the SAD embroiled in their own internal challenges, the BJP seems to have identified a political vacuum. Whether these religious outreach programmes can translate into electoral support remains to be seen, but today’s event marks a decisive ideological and strategic shift for the party in Punjab.