Aam Aadmi Party was fighting the Punjab Assembly elections in 2017 with full strength. Many leaders from Delhi were reaching Punjab to campaign for the newly formed party. For the first time, a third power was emerging in Punjab and at that time AAP supremo and the then Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had made a promise to the people of Punjab. The promise was to make a Dalit the Deputy CM i.e. Deputy Chief Minister. AAP had made a big move by promising a Deputy CM from the Dalit community, which constitutes about 32 percent of the population, but could not win the trust of the public. Now after almost ten years, AAP has again remembered its old promise and the discussion of Dalit Deputy CM has started in Punjab.
According to a report by Indian Express, AAP party has started preparing for the 2027 assembly elections. Before the elections, the party is trying to attract the Dalit community comprising 32 percent of the population and in this effort is now considering making a Dalit leader the Deputy CM. The report claims that senior party leaders also held a meeting on this issue and two names are in the race for Deputy CM. The report said that the AAP party may soon expand the Punjab cabinet and the Deputy CM may also take oath in it.
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Kejriwal has already held the meeting
Kejriwal has now remembered his old promise and also that there are assembly elections again in Punjab after about a year. In such a situation, the party is continuously busy in fulfilling its promises. Rs 1,00 has also been announced for women. According to the report of Indian Express, Aam Aadmi Party is doing social engineering before the 2027 elections and under this, Dalit Deputy CM is being seriously considered. Party chief Arvind Kejriwal has also held several meetings regarding this.
Who will become Deputy CM?
The Indian Express has quoted sources as saying that two names are being seriously considered in the meeting. Among these, one name is of Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and the other name is of Industry Minister Sanjeev Arora. According to sources, the party wants a deputy CM post from the Dalit community as Dalits constitute 32 percent of Punjab’s population. Attracting Dalits to the party will be a big task.
Promised in 2017
Arvinj Kejriwal had promised the people of Punjab before the 2017 assembly elections that if the Aam Aadmi Party came to power, a Dalit leader would be made the Deputy CM. Despite his promise, Aam Aadmi Party remained at second position in Punjab. However, the party registered a bumper victory in the 2022 assembly elections and Bhagwant Mann became the CM. The party had not promised a Dalit Deputy CM in 2022 and till now has not made anyone Deputy CM in four years.
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Now when Aam Aadmi Party is preparing to win the elections for the second time in Punjab, Kejriwal can fulfill his old promise. Some experts say that like Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, the party can also make two Deputy CMs in Punjab. There is also a discussion going on about making a Deputy CM from the Hindu community, but no official information has come out regarding this yet.
Situation of Dalits in Punjab
Punjab has the largest Dalit population in any state. About 32 percent of the population belongs to the Dalit community, but despite this, Dalits have never emerged as a major political force in Punjab. The biggest reason behind this is the dispersion of Dalits. It is said that if there are 32 percent Sikhs in Punjab then there are 32 different groups among them. According to writer Desraj Kali, if something goes wrong with one group of Dalits, the other group does not support it. Dalits have traditionally been loyal to the Congress and the Akali Dal.
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