The voting pattern of Sikh voters in the Jamshedpur Lok Sabha 2024 elections remained consistent with tradition. Historically anti-Congress since 1984, the Sikh community has again favored the BJP, ensuring their continued support for the party's candidate, Bidyut Baran Mahto.
Despite attempts by a few Sikh leaders to challenge the BJP in urban areas, these efforts were unsuccessful. The enduring appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the simplicity of Bidyut Baran Mahto proved too strong for the opposition to overcome.
In the recent elections, Gurdeep Singh Pappu, founder of the Jharkhand Sikh Vikas Manch, aligned with young BJP leaders, working diligently to secure votes for the party. Their efforts were rewarded with a favorable outcome.
The Election Commission's data highlighted the significant support for the BJP from Sikh-majority areas. Leaders like Gurdeep Singh Pappu, Satvir Singh Somu, Joginder Singh Jogi, Manjit Gill, Chanchal Bhatia, Chintu Singh, Navjot Singh Sohal, Rocky Singh, Inder Singh Inder, Jathedar Kuldeep Singh, Ravinder Singh Rinku, and Daljit Singh have emerged as influential figures.
In a press conference on Wednesday, these leaders expressed their gratitude to the Sikh community for their overwhelming support of BJP candidate Bidyut Baran Mahto.
Analyzing the booth-level data, BJP's stronghold was evident in areas such as Toiladungri, Namda Basti, Number 10 Basti, Manifit, Jemco, Sakchi Gurudwara Basti, Birsanagar, Fauja Bagan, Refugee Colony, and Arjun Bagan. In contrast, the Indi Alliance candidate, Samir Mohanty, secured only 10-15% of the votes in these regions.
This trend aligns with historical voting patterns observed since 1985 when Raghubar Das maintained a stronghold from 1995 onwards, significantly contributing to the development and upliftment of local Gurudwaras, further solidifying BJP's support.
In the Jamshedpur West Assembly constituency, Samir Mohanty lagged behind significantly in Ramdas Bhatta, Mango Gurudwara Basti, and Ulidih Punjabi Line.
Gurdeep Singh Pappu and Satbir Singh Somu attributed BJP's success to the substantial work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Sikh community over the past decade. They criticized the attempts by certain elements to portray Sikhs as opponents of Modi and the BJP, citing misinformation spread on social media. They highlighted the increased vote percentage for BJP in Punjab, despite not winning seats, as evidence of growing support.
Prime Minister Modi's appointment of Sardar Hardeep Singh Puri as a Cabinet Minister and Ravneet Singh Bittu as the Minister of State for Railways demonstrates his commitment to the Sikh community and their principles of nationalism, further consolidating their support for the BJP.
