The BJP contested its first elections in Panjab since 1996 without its erstwhile ally SAD. In the past several elections, of the state’s 13 seats, the BJP always fought from three — Hoshiarpur, where it has won in the last two polls; Gurdaspur, which it has bagged five times since 1998; and Amritsar, where it has lost in the last three elections. Panjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar, who complained to the Election Commission of India (ECI) about his party candidates being allegedly denied their right to campaign, says this election is a stepping stone to the 2027 Panjab assembly polls. ‘The party will vastly improve its vote share this time and sweep the 2027 elections,’ he claimed. Jakhar’s hope is echoed by a section of the trading community across the Malwa region, especially in constituencies like Ludhiana, Bathinda, Sangrur, and Patiala. Bharat Jindal, a trader in Bathinda, expresses support for the BJP, saying ‘Modi has done wonders for the country, the world respects us.’ Sunil Singla, the BJP’s Bathinda office in-charge, says the party is seeing ‘green shoots of its recovery in villages.’ To offset the negative campaigning by farmer groups, the BJP reached out to the Dalit community. Despite having a 33% share in the state's electorate against 18% of Jats, Dalits are behind the dominant Jats in terms of political representation. BJP leaders canvassed among two dominant groups of Dalit voters in Panjab – Mazhabi Sikhs and the Valmikis (SDW Vol. 2 Issue 22, Story 1).
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