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COVER STORY JULY 24, 2026 | The Indian Eye 5

rated a major section of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra competition that characterized the state’s politics
Expressway while laying the foundation stone for for decades.
the Southern Ludhiana Bypass. Officials said the For the BJP, this fragmentation creates both op-
projects are expected to reduce travel time, lower portunities and limitations. On one hand, divisions
logistics costs and improve industrial connectivity among Congress, AAP and the Akali Dal could al-
across Punjab. low the party to expand its vote share beyond its
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw de- traditional urban base. On the other, converting in-
scribed the station redevelopment programme as creased visibility into Assembly seats remains a sig-
one of the world’s largest railway modernization nificant challenge in a state where regional political
initiatives. He said 1,300 stations were being rede- identities continue to carry considerable influence.
veloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, The party’s emphasis on infrastructure therefore
with 261 already completed and another 350 ex- serves a dual purpose.
pected by the end of this year. Economically, improved highways, railways
The redevelopment programme attempts to and logistics support Punjab’s manufacturing, ag-
combine modern passenger facilities with local ar- riculture and tourism sectors. Politically, these
chitectural traditions under the theme of “Virasat projects allow the BJP to argue that voters benefit
Bhi, Vikas Bhi” (Heritage as well as Development). directly from having a strong relationship with the
While the infrastructure announcements dom- Union government even if the party is not in power
inated the day’s programme, the timing of the visit in Chandigarh.
carries unmistakable political significance. Pun- Modi also carefully incorporated cultural
jab is heading towards Assembly elections in ear- symbolism into the visit. He paid tribute to Sikh
ly 2027, and all four principal political parties are leader Sardar Teja Singh Samundri on his 100th
attempting to redefine their positions before cam- martyrdom anniversary and highlighted Sikh her-
paigning intensifies. The BJP enters the contest itage during the programme. The Prime Minister
from a relatively weak electoral position. referred to the construction of a Sikh Museum in
Following the breakdown of its alliance with Kurukshetra and praised the public for participat-
the Shiromani Akali Dal after the farmers’ pro- ing in a cleanliness campaign inspired by the teach-
tests, the party has had to build an independent po- ings of Guru Ravidas.
litical organization across Punjab. Historically, the Such references are part of the BJP’s broader
BJP relied largely on urban Hindu voters while the effort to improve engagement with Sikh commu-
Akali Dal mobilized much of the Sikh rural elec- nities following years of strained political relations
torate. Without that alliance, the BJP has faced the after the farm law protests.
challenge of expanding into constituencies where it For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a victory in Punjab elec- Whether those efforts produce significant elec-
previously had limited organizational presence. tions early next year is very important politically (ANI Photo) toral gains remains uncertain, but they indicate a
Rather than relying solely on ideological mes- sustained long-term strategy rather than short-term
saging, the party has increasingly projected itself ing uncertainty about the party’s ability to present a campaigning. The emphasis on religious tourism
as the provider of infrastructure, investment and united challenge before the elections. also fits within this approach. Projects connecting
central government support. Modi’s repeated em- The Shiromani Akali Dal faces perhaps its Anandpur Sahib, Amritsar and Varanasi combine
phasis that Punjab would continue receiving devel- most difficult electoral environment in decades. infrastructure with pilgrimage, reflecting the gov-
opment funds irrespective of political differences Once the dominant force in Punjab politics, the ernment’s broader policy of integrating transport
reinforces that strategy. party has witnessed a steady erosion of its support development with cultural tourism.
The BJP appears to be seeking a larger share base following the farmers’ movement, internal or- Infrastructure has become one of the Modi
of urban, middle-class and first-time voters while ganizational challenges and the end of its alliance government’s most recognizable political themes
simultaneously attempting gradual outreach within with the BJP. nationally, and Punjab now appears firmly inte-
sections of the Sikh community. Its task now is not only to recover traditional grated into that narrative. The railway station rede-
Political analysts note that the BJP’s organiza- supporters but also to demonstrate that it remains velopment programme, expressways, bypasses and
tional activity in Punjab has increased steadily over a relevant statewide political force. new rail services allow the BJP to present measur-
the past year through frequent visits by senior na- Several recent political assessments suggest able projects rather than campaign promises.
tional leaders and an expanded grassroots campaign. Punjab is likely to witness a genuinely four-cor- That distinction featured prominently in Mo-
However, Punjab’s political landscape remains nered contest rather than the traditional bipolar di’s criticism of previous Congress governments. At
unusually fluid. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party, led the same time, Punjab’s electoral dynamics remain
in the state by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is unusually unpredictable.
seeking a second consecutive term after its sweep- AAP continues to govern the state, Congress
ing victory in 2022. AAP continues to portray itself believes anti-incumbency could favor its return,
as the party of governance and public service deliv- the Akali Dal is seeking political revival, and the
ery while defending its record on education, health- BJP hopes infrastructure-led politics can gradually
care and welfare programmes. overcome its historical organizational limitations.
Despite facing anti-incumbency after four Recent political analyses describe Punjab as one of
years in office, AAP remains a formidable electoral India’s most competitive electoral battlegrounds,
force and hopes that a divided opposition will work with no single party entering the campaign with a
to its advantage. Congress, meanwhile, sees an op- decisive advantage.
portunity to return to power but continues to strug- Against that backdrop, Modi’s Jalandhar visit
gle with internal divisions. was more than an infrastructure event. It marked
Recent disagreements over the state leader- the beginning of what is likely to become an in-
ship have once again exposed factional rivalries creasingly visible BJP campaign in Punjab—one
that have affected the party in Punjab for several AAP will be contesting the elections under the leadership of built less around confrontation with the state gov-
years. Senior leaders remain divided over organiza- Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann (ANI file photo) ernment than around demonstrating the Centre’s
tional appointments and campaign strategy, creat- willingness to invest heavily in the state’s future.

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