Chandigarh: In what is widely seen as an outreach to the Ravidassia community — whose numbers form a major share of Dalit voters in Punjab’s Doaba region — the BJP’s recent overtures, from a Padma Shri for Dera Sachkhand Ballan head Sant Niranjan Dass to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to the Dera on Feb 1 for the 649th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas, are being closely watched for their 2027 political impact. A senior Punjab BJP insider, however, said the “reciprocity” and “immediate response” from the community and the Dera were “missing”.Speaking two days before the PM’s visit and requesting anonymity, the senior BJP leader told TOI on Friday: “Not even a single hoarding thanking the government has been put up after the Padma Shri was conferred on the Dera chief. Let’s see what preparations they make the day after tomorrow when the Prime Minister visits. The sangat is already on the way to, or has reached, Begumpura (Varanasi), which is the epicentre of the anniversary. No denying that Sant Niranjan Dass is a saintly figure, but they should have acknowledged the Padma Shri by expressing delight and gratitude. That is missing for the BJP.”Calling the move an “outreach attempt” by the party, he added: “The response is awaited. Take the case of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor—there was a clear, visible response from the Sikh community. That response is missing here.”He went on: “This is a million-dollar question for the BJP. The Prime Minister will visit, rename the Adampur airport after Guru Ravidas, and pay obeisance on the 649th birth anniversary. But the reciprocity is missing. This shows there are barriers—some psychological impediments—between the Ravidassia community and the BJP.”Explaining the reasons behind the political distance, the saffron party leader said: “The first preference of the Ravidassia community is the BSP, second Congress, and third we can say Akali Dal. BJP is at the bottom. It is their mindset. There is a barrier. BJP is yet to cross that barrier, yet to cross that Rubicon.”He added, however, that within the broader Dalit communities, “Mazhabi Sikhs are getting attracted to the BJP. They are joining, they call and say they are ready to be with the BJP. But when it comes to the Ravidassia community, we will have to go miles. BJP has made a beginning, but key results are awaited. The immediate response is missing.”Punjab has a 32% Scheduled Caste population—among the highest in the country. In the Doaba districts of Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and Nawanshahr, the Dalit share rises to about 37%, and 61% of them belong to the Ravidassia community. Dera Sachkhand Ballan’s influence is rooted largely in this belt. However, the Dera has no history of publicly backing any political party, even though leaders from across political lines frequently visit.After its two-decade alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal ended in September 2020 following the farm laws dispute, the BJP has been working to expand its standalone base in Punjab. Despite failing to win any of Punjab’s 13 Lok Sabha seats in 2024, the party nearly doubled its vote share—from 9.6% in 2019 to 18.5% in 2024. The party is also banking heavily on Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini, who is increasingly visible in Punjab, often sporting a turban, promoting the “Haryana model” and targeting the ruling AAP for “unkept promises”.
