- By Aditya Jha
- Tue, 27 Jan 2026 07:16 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Punjab Politics: With over a year remaining in the Punjab Assembly election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has already started reaching out to communities with larger vote shares. On the occasion of Ravidas Jayanti on February 1, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Dera Sachkhand in Jalandhar district. The move is seen as another attempt to reach out to the Dalit community days after honouring Dera's head, Niranjan Dass, with the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award. The Congress has a solid hold over the community till now, as despite a wave of the Aam Aadmi Party in the 2022 Assembly elections, the grand old party managed to save its bastion. However, with changing the dynamics, the top brass of BJP has been trying to lure the community in its favour.
How Crucial Is Dera Ballan?
The dera is situated near the Jalandhar district and plays a crucial role in the politics of the state due to a large following, especially of the Dalit community. The Dalits constitute over 32 per cent of the total population of Punjab and are a deciding factor on almost 40 of the total 117 seats.
The dera has its influence on nearly 23 seats, making it one of the most politically active regions. The Congress has maintained its dominance on the region for the past two decades; however, the AAP secured victory on 10 of the total 23 seats of the region, signalling a lose of Congress' grip.
However, despite a wave in the other regions of the state, the AAP could not completely wipe out the grand old party near Jalandhar due to prominent leaders like former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. The saffron party has its ambition of growing its voter base in the northern state, and with changing dynamics, Dera Ballan could be a possible starting point.