Punjab next frontier, say BJP leaders after election victory

Punjab is the “next political frontier” for the BJP to conquer, opined several state party leaders on Saturday.

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The confidence stemmed from the BJP’s solid show in the Delhi Assembly poll, where it defeated the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to come to power after a gap of 27 years.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar said winning the 2027 Assembly poll is the state is their next target.

“The party has finally won the Delhi elections after a gap of 27 years under the leadership of Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and JP Nadda. Now, Punjabis are looking towards this leadership to free them from the environment of fear under the AAP government,” he wrote in his post.

‘Easier said than done’

However, according to experts, it is easier said than done.

Though the party’s vote share grew from 6% to 18% in Punjab during the 2024 Lok Sabha poll, it will have to convince the electorate that the BJP is pro-Sikh and a farmer-friendly party.

The BJP had gone solo in the General Election after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) broke its decades-long ties with it in 2020 over the now-repealed three controversial agriculture laws.

SAD is trying to regain its foothold in the state after Sikhs drifted away from it in recent years, creating a political vacuum to fill, with the state’s main opposition Congress too struggling to put up a united show following its poor show in the 2022 Assembly poll.

Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP had swept the last state poll by winning 92 of 117 seats, with the Congress proving a laggard with just 18 seats and SAD managing to win just three seats. The BJP could win only two seats.

Party sources suggested that given the political mood in Punjab, the BJP could explore forming an alliance with rebel Akali leaders, who have refused to accept the leadership of Sukhbir Singh Badal and pushing for the SAD’s restructuring.

“There does not seem to be a chance for re-alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal as they are yet to regain their lost political ground. The rebel Akalis can be a good Sikh-Hindu partnership card for the party,” said a BJP leader wishing anonymity.

BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh, who hails from Amritsar, too slammed the AAP government in the state, alleging that the party’s government in Punjab is synonymous with “greed and misgovernance”. “The BJP will bring development and prosperity to Punjab,” said upbeat Chugh.

Jakhar’s nephew and Abohar MLA Sandeep Jakhar, who is currently under suspension from the Congress for “pro-BJP activities”, echoed this sentiment.

‘Party should tweak its policies to gain foothold’

He believed that the BJP was the right alternative for Punjab, but only if it goes for course correction.

“The party has won with the support of Sikhs and Punjabis in Delhi. It has adopted several pro-farmer policies. If the party carries out some of the changes needed in its policies, then it can form the government in the state with a thumping majority like Delhi,” he said.

Sandeep Jakhar said the BJP should take into account Punjab’s unique status as a border state and several emotive issues while framing its policies.

A number of BJP leaders stressed that the BJP would have to work hard over the next two years to realistically think about forming its government. “The BJP membership drive (in the state) has to be a success. The party needs to attract people with promises of development instead of polarising voters (in the name of religion), which can backfire in highly-sensitive state of Punjab,” a party leader said.