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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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