Delhi: Punjabi vote bank back with BJP after favouring AAP for 10 years

West Delhi has 12 seats dominated by the Punjabi population – Janakpuri, Madipur, Hari Nagar, Rajouri Garden, Tilak Nagar, Tri Nagar, Karol Bagh, Rajinder Nagar, Patel Nagar, Moti Nagar, Vikaspuri and Shalimar Bagh. While the four Punjabi-dominated seats in East Delhi are Gandhi Nagar, Krishna Nagar, Shahdara and Vishwas Nagar, South Delhi’s Jangpura, Kasturba Nagar, Malviya Nagar and GK, also have significant Punjabi population.

In 2015 and 2020 Assembly polls, BJP had won only two of these seats, Gandhi Nagar and Vishwas Nagar, which have a considerable presence of both Punjabi and Sikh populations.

Except Karol Bagh, Patel Nagar and Tilak Nagar, the BJP won all the seats this time with a margin of more than 10,000 votes. Only Hari Nagar saw the margin dip below 10,000, though it was still above 5,000.

In the last two elections, BJP had failed to win even of one of these 10 seats from West Delhi, where the majority of the Punjabi population belong to the middle class and upper middle class – considered to be the core vote banks of the BJP.

While in 2015 and 2020, these seats had gone to the AAP, previously, the Congress had won from these constituencies.

While Punjabis are settled across Delhi, the western part of the city has a significant Punjabi population – around 55%-60%, including Sikhs.

Speaking to The Indian Express, a senior BJP leader said, “Punjabis are usually pro-BJP because in Delhi, most Punjabi families come from good financial backgrounds… a good number of them are also traders, Punjabi Khatris. The traders have always supported the BJP… The non-trader Punjabis in the city also come from well-to-do families. Hence, Punjabi-dominated areas went with the middle class that supported the BJP this time.”

On why the BJP managed to get the Punjabi votes this time, another senior BJP leader gave two reasons. “First, the middle class was fed up with AAP government’s one-sided schemes, which only benefitted a particular section. They were not getting any benefits of these schemes, especially the free electricity. The middle class was also disappointed over poor infrastructure development across the city. Water crisis, traffic issues, damaged roads, pollution and lack of jobs affected this population because they also pay taxes.”

“Corruption charges against AAP leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal, in regard to the liquor policy, Sheesh Mahal… all these added up and the BJP was successful in convincing the middle class that the AAP government had done nothing in the last 10 years, except committing corruption and fighting with the L-G and the Centre,” said the leader added.

“Second, Sikhs are an influential community… 3-4 % of Sikh voters can easily influence 4%-5% more voters… Also, Sikhs and Punjabis were hurt as despite being in power for two consecutive terms, AAP government did not have any Punjabi or Sikh minister in the Cabinet,” said the leader.

The BJP had tasked Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, who belongs to a Punjabi refugee family, and Punjabi MP from East Delhi, Harsh Malhotra – also Minister of Road and Transport and MoS Corporate Affairs – to woo Punjabi voters ahead of the polls. Also, the Union Cabinet had another Sikh face in Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri. “This is why this time, the Punjabis voted for the BJP. Further, AAP was facing anti-incumbency…,” said the leader, adding that the new BJP government is likely to have a Punjabi face in the Cabinet.

A senior BJP leader said that the Union Budget announcing that individuals earning up to Rs 12 lakh annually will no longer be required to pay income tax if they choose the new tax regime also made the middle class vote for the BJP.

Senior BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the MLA-elect from Rajouri Garden, said: “West Delhi has 60% Punjabi population… this part of the city faces water crisis every summer… The roads are in a poor condition, there is lack of cleanliness and massive traffic jams… The AAP government kept blaming the L-G and Centre, saying BJP is stopping works. This irked the people…”

He added that Punjabis were also hurt because “AAP did not promote Punjabi language in schools, hired Punjabi language teachers and promoted Punjabi Academy”.

There were other factors too that helped BJP woo the Punjabi voters, said party leaders.

The BJP in its manifesto made several promises to the traders, including opening of sealed shops within six months. The other promises included converting all leasehold properties of L&DO (Land and Development Office) to freehold, establishing a dedicated Delhi Trader Welfare Board, extending the validity of business licenses from three to five years and developing a Delhi Retail Trade Policy to simplifying rules.

Another big promise the party made was to reduce electricity tariffs for commercial establishments. Further, the BJP promised to provide a monthly allowance of Rs 20,000 to granthis in gurdwaras and increase monthly pension of 1984 riots widows from Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000.