Eyeing mass votes, parties scramble to woo religious sects
Due to their presence in large numbers and tendency to vote en masse, sect followers have potential to sway the electoral outcome.
The November 20 assembly bypolls have put religious sects and communities at the forefront again as political parties are scrambling to secure their support.
Due to their presence in large numbers and tendency to vote en masse, sect followers have potential to sway the electoral outcome.
In Barnala and Gidderbaha, Dera Sacha Sauda followers are present in large numbers while the Christian community holds sway in Dera Baba Nanak. The Ravidas sect dominates Chabbewal’s voter base.
Since the 2007 Punjab assembly elections, Dera Sacha Sauda has emerged as a formidable political force in Punjab, particularly in the Malwa region, where a large portion of its followers reside. Its influence is particularly strong in rural and Dalit-majority constituencies. Political parties like the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Congress, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have routinely sought the Dera’s backing, recognising its ability to mobilise voters in large numbers.
In the recent Haryana assembly elections, Dera followers supported the BJP en bloc. The BJP has strengthened ties with the Dera by frequently granting parole to its head, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who was awarded 20-year jail term in 2017 for raping two of his disciples. The Dera chief and three others were also convicted in 2019 for the murder of a journalist more than 16 years ago.
BJP leaders are confident of similar support in Barnala and Gidderbaha, though the Congress and AAP are also reaching out to the Dera, which has not yet announced its position.
In the Dera Baba Nanak, the Christian community has become a key electoral force, following large-scale conversions among Dalits in the Gurdaspur border region. The rise of numerous churches in the area underscores this shift. While Christian voters traditionally supported the Congress, Pastor Ankur Narula, a prominent community leader, recently endorsed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), hosting an event in their favour.
In Chabbewal, the Ravidas community is expected to play a decisive role. During the last Lok Sabha elections, this group largely backed the AAP, especially in the Hoshiarpur seat.
“The AAP is optimistic about support for various sects this time too as the past trends have shown that dera followers tend to go with the government,” a party leader said.
Ashutosh Kumar, professor at the department of political science, Panjab University, said, “Politicians have convinced themselves that sect leaders play a significant role in elections thus they make a beeline to the doors of religious leaders. Both Dera Sacha Sauda and Christian voters votes en bloc, thus they matter more.”
He, however, adds, that the ruling party always has an edge in getting support of sects and religious leaders as they need the support of government for works of their sect and followers.
