Keeping an eye on Dalits, OBCs and Sikhs, which 23 seats of Punjab will PM Modi win with one rally?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reaching Punjab today on 17th July. Earlier he had come to Punjab on 1 February and this is his second visit in less than 6 months. This visit of PM Modi is not just an administrative visit but this visit is being linked to the strategy of Bharatiya Janata Party for the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections. The party wants to contest alone on all 117 seats in the Punjab Assembly elections to be held early next year and in this regard, PM Modi will try to solve the equations today and will try to include many sections of the society, especially the Dalit class, with himself.

There are many similarities between PM Modi’s visit in February 2026 and today’s visit. Both these tours have been organized in Doaba, the stronghold of Dalit politics of Punjab. Along with this, Dalits especially Ravidassia community is at the center of both of them. During his last visit, PM Modi had reached Dera Sachkhand Ballan, the biggest camp of this society, on the occasion of Ravidas Jayanti. In this visit, PM Modi is going to fulfill the very old demand of this Ravidassia community. PM will launch direct train from Jalandhar to Varanasi today.

Also read: Did Channi increase his own problems by going against Rahul Gandhi’s decision?

Dalit connection of Jalandhar, Varanasi

Jalandhar is a major center of the Ravidassia community, the largest community of Dalits in Punjab. Sachkhand Ballan, the main camp of Ravidasia community, is situated in this district. Along with this, Saint Guru Ravidas was born in Varanasi. A temple has been built at his birthplace, where hundreds of Punjabis visit every year. This community was demanding a train from Jalandhar to Varanasi for a long time. Now today PM Modi is going to fulfill the demand of this community. Another train between Jalandhar and Varanasi has also been named ‘Shri Guru Ravidas Ji Maharaj’ Express. On February 1, PM Modi had come to Sachkhand Ballan, the biggest camp of Ravidassia community. Along with this, Saint Niranjan Das, head of Dera Sachkhand Ballan, has been honored with Padma Shri. All this is an attempt to win over the Ravidassia community, which has the largest population among the Dalit community.

eye on doaba

Dalits have the largest population in Punjab and in the Doaba region, Dalits have influence on all 23 seats. Dalits decide victory and defeat in this area. The people of this region situated between the Beas and Sutlej rivers have till now stood firmly with the Congress party. Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (Nawanshahr) districts fall in this region. There are total 117 assembly seats in Punjab. In the 2022 assembly elections, Bharatiya Janata Party had won one seat in this region. While the Congress Party had suffered a setback in the entire Punjab, the party had established itself as the largest party in this region by winning 10 out of 23 seats. 10 out of 18 seats came from this region. Aam Aadmi Party had won 9 seats and Akali Dal also won one seat.

BJP is now paying special focus on this area. The main reason behind this is that the party has a good support base among the Hindu community in Majha. The party has strong leaders in districts like Amritsar. The party also has many veteran leaders from Malwa belt and there are leaders from this belt holding big positions in the party organization. In such a situation, the party is now trying to make Doaba its stronghold.

keep an eye on OBC

After Dalit community, OBC community has the highest population in this area. This includes OBC castes like Saini and Lubana. To woo OBC voters, the party has handed over command in this area to Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini. Saini seems to be active in this area for a long time and has also held many public meetings. In such a situation, BJP wants to create a social equation between OBC and Dalit and the party feels that Hindu voters are already with them.

Also read: PM Modi’s visit to Punjab, what is BJP doing to woo Ravidasis?

Sikh and Punjabi identity

Bharatiya Janata Party has till now been considered a party outside Punjab and the party has been tagged as a Hindu party. This time, after the victory in West Bengal, BJP is now dreaming of forming the government in Punjab also. In such a situation, the party has changed its strategy. The party is trying to reach out to the public regarding Punjabi identity. Along with this, instead of relying on Akali Dal for Sikh voters, it is now putting forward Sikh leaders. By making Kewal Singh Dhillon the chief, the party has made it clear that they now want to bring the majority Sikhs in Punjab to their side. Efforts are being made to give a message by promoting Punjabi language in Haryana. Along with this, during today’s visit also, PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone of the Sikh Museum in Kurukshetra.

PM Modi shared information about this visit by posting on social media and indicated preparations for Punjab elections. The PM said that I am going to attend the BJP rally in Jalandhar on July 17 in Punjab. Punjab is looking towards BJP with hopeful eyes. The PM has given a clear message that BJP is serious in this election and today he himself will hold a rally for the upcoming assembly elections and sound the election trumpet.