On 20 September 2021, the state of Punjab got its first Dalit Chief Minister, Mr Charanjit Singh Channi. It was a decision by Congress high command that created controversy, uproar and excitement among people who are following developments that are happening in Punjab politics very closely.
Punjab has a high Dalit population of 32% — a vote that is up for grabs in the state, and both major political parties in the election, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), are aggressively campaigning to win these votes.,
Captain Amarinder Singh’s elevation to Chief Ministerial candidate in the Punjab election of 2017 changed the dynamics of that election and led to the Congress victory. Whether Congress high command likes it or not, it remains a fact that Captain Amarinder Singh’s personality galvanised them many votes that were earlier going to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Now that he has resigned from the position and has formed another party named Punjab Lok Congress (PLC), that vote will shift to his party partially as per some field surveys.
Fighting For The Dalit Vote
Now, Congress is already suffering a backlash because of the constant infighting within its party, and anti-incumbency due to the unfulfilled promises and increase in unemployment as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. Will Channi’s elevation to the Chief Minister’s post have any impact on the 28% votes of Dalits that went to the AAP in the previous state elections?
At this moment, every party is looking to tap on the Dalit vote that exists in Punjab. This push can be seen by Badal’s Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) that has joined hands with the Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) for the upcoming elections. AAPs 28% Dalit vote is now being looked upon by other political parties with a hawk eye. But will Channi impact the Dalit vote?
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India Today reports that the biggest issue concerning the Dalit community is education. AAP leader Rajendra Pal Gautam has set a community hall for the education of the Dalit community in the Malwa region, but that is not enough. The community demands proper infrastructure and better quality of education.
When asked about government promises, the Dalit community feels disillusioned with the government regarding jobs and education. But what the Dalit community is seeing is a change in social treatment after Channi was elevated to the position of Chief Minister.
While some feel empowered, others feel disillusioned with Dalits entering politics. They see them as people who are only in politics for themselves and not for the community.
When asked what the main concern of the communities are, it’s the development that the state government has not done in education or jobs. These issues are being raised by AAP and they might be able to tap into this vote if they are able to amplify their message, reaching every village and district in Punjab.