32% Dalit Vote In Play: Why Every Party In Punjab Is Racing To Own Guru Ravidas Jayanti

Ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections, Guru Ravidas Jayanti has become more than just a religious occasion. With the Ravidasia community wielding considerable electoral influence, particularly in the Doaba region, every major party is using the celebrations to reinforce its outreach to Dalit voters.

Guru Ravidas was a revered 14th-15th-century Bhakti movement saint, poet, and social reformer. He has a massive following among Scheduled Castes in Punjab.

Punjab has the highest Dalit population in the country at around 32%, according to the 2011 Census. The community plays a decisive role in the electoral outcome of several assembly constituencies, making it a key political constituency for all major parties.

Since the Jayanti is on February 20, it will fall right in the middle of the election campaign, making it a major event for all political stakeholders in the state.

The Centre's launch of a special train for Guru Ravidas Jayanti is also likely to add a political dimension to the festivities. The BJP is projecting the launch of the special train as part of the Narendra Modi government's efforts to facilitate pilgrimage and honour the legacy of Guru Ravidas.

The party is showcasing the initiative alongside its outreach to Ravidasia deras and religious institutions, seeking to strengthen its connect with SC voters.

The BJP is also using the occasion to expand its social base beyond its traditional urban support.

The BJP has already kickstarted seven-month-long celebrations from UP to Punjab under the banner of 'Samrasta Sankalp Abhiyan', coinciding with the 650th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas.

The ruling AAP government is highlighting the measures it has taken to mark Guru Ravidas Jayanti, including declaring it a public holiday, organising state-supported celebrations and facilitating devotees travelling to places associated with Guru Ravidas.

The party is expected to present these initiatives as part of its broader commitment to respecting all faiths, while combining them with welfare and governance measures targeted at disadvantaged communities.

The celebrations are likely to be used to reinforce AAP's outreach to Dalit voters, who form a key pillar of its electoral support in Punjab.

The Congress is expected to leverage its traditional support base among the Ravidasia community, particularly in the Doaba belt, by increasing the visibility of its senior Dalit leaders during the celebrations. The party is likely to argue that while symbolic gestures have their place, the focus should remain on issues such as education, employment and social justice.

As it looks to regain lost ground in Punjab, the Congress is expected to use Guru Ravidas Jayanti to reconnect with Dalit voters ahead of the Assembly elections.

For the Shiromani Akali Dal, the celebrations provide an opportunity to revive its traditional ties with Sikh and Ravidasia institutions after successive electoral setbacks. The party is expected to emphasise Guru Ravidas's revered place in Sikhism, with his hymns enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib, while projecting itself as a party rooted in Punjab's religious and social ethos. The Akali Dal is also likely to step up its engagement with Ravidasia organisations as it seeks to rebuild its support base before the 2027 polls.