Delhi elections: BJP and Congress struggle for strong Punjabi leadership as AAP capitalizes

New Delhi: As the final week of campaigning for the Delhi Assembly elections unfolds, political parties are actively engaging leaders based on the city’s voter demographics.

Punjabi voters hold significant influence in multiple constituencies, prompting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to deploy Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for intensive campaigning. Mann’s speeches, often infused with humor, have been drawing strong public engagement.

In contrast, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress are grappling with a leadership vacuum in Punjabi-dominated areas. The BJP lacks a prominent Punjabi face in Delhi, with even Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu failing to make a major impact.

Previously, the party relied on Navjot Singh Sidhu, but his shift to Congress has left a void. However, the Congress has not assigned Sidhu any campaign duties in Delhi.

The BJP’s central Punjabi leadership has also struggled to gain traction, with no significant figures emerging after former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana.

The party has been relying on leaders from the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) to support candidate Manjinder Singh Sirsa in Sikh constituencies. Ultimately, the BJP’s campaign hinges on rallies led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

The Congress is facing similar challenges, lacking a strong Punjabi leader in Delhi. The party previously had Sikh figures like Arvinder Singh Lovely and Tarvinder Singh Marwah, who have since joined the BJP.

Captain Amarinder Singh, once a key Congress campaigner in Punjabi constituencies, has also defected to the BJP. The Sarna brothers, who wielded limited influence, have aligned with the Shiromani Akali Dal, further weakening the Congress’s reach among Punjabi voters.

With AAP leveraging Bhagwant Mann’s appeal, both the BJP and Congress are struggling to consolidate their influence in Delhi’s crucial Punjabi constituencies.