In an apparent attempt to further strengthen its foothold in Punjab by wooing Dalit vote bank, BJP president Amit Shah is all set to address the meeting of party's National Scheduled Caste Wing during his Punjab visit for the second time in May.
Shah, who had visited Amritsar on May 2, is scheduled to visit Jalandhar on May 21 for the programme. The development is significant as 33 per cent of the voters in Punjab are dalits — the highest in the country.
The saffron party, wooing the Dalit community in the State to strengthen its party base, had opt for a Dalit MP Vijay Sampla, over experienced Vinod Khanna and senior leader Avinash Rai Khanna, to give a Cabinet berth. Moreover, it has appointed a Dalit leader Ram Shankar Katheria as party’s State affairs in-charge.
Shah’s back-to-back visit is expected to have a great impact in the State politics. Already, there are speculations that BJP is mulling over going solo in the next State assembly polls, considering SAD’s tarnished image.
The two alliance partners are not sharing good relations ever since its not-so-good performance in the 2014 general elections. Things became worse after the SAD decided to go with the INlD in Haryana Assembly polls while campaigning against the BJP—which eventually formed the Government in the neighbouring State with clear majority sending alarm bells ringing in SAD camp in Punjab.
The saffron brigade has, in fact, made repeated attempts to woo the Dalit vote bank in the State. Alarmed, the Congress and the SAD has also chalked out its plan to tap the significant section.
Besides, the BJP’s mega membership drive has completed successfully as it managed to enroll targeted 23 lakh members. The party has, primarily, been asked to concentrate on the rural areas, booth-level, and the youth brigade.
Sources informed that the BJP high command has asked the state leadership to first fortify its base in Punjab, right from the bottom to the top level, and then consider the option of parting ways with the SAD — a message given by Shah during his May 2 Punjab visit.
“It would be his short trip for some hours and mainly for the meeting. Shah would inaugurate the two day programme on May 21,” a senior BJP leader told The Pioneer. Party’s Dalit face in the State and Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Vijay Sampla is coordinating the programme.
For the National SC wing meeting, party’s prominent national leaders, along with about 200 delegates, including SC ministers and MPs, from all States will attend the programme.
Among them include BJP’s national SC Morcha president Dushyant Gautam, national general secretary Ram lal, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot, Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Nihal Chand, Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development and party’s Punjab affairs in-charge Ram Shankar Katheria, among others.