<div align="justify">With just a couple of days left for polling in Punjab, politicians from all parties are queuing up at the doors of various sects and deras — which wield considerable influence over voters in the state. In the build-up to a likely scenario of a split mandate, dera votes can play a crucial role. Some of the sects espouse an egalitarian philosophy, yet many have their dedicated political wings that take a call on supporting a party or a particular candidate. <br /><br />In an estimated 40 constituencies out of 117 in Punjab, sects have their dominance. The Congress took an early lead last month when the party vice president Rahul Gandhi took a chartered flight to visit Dera Radha Soami Satsang in Beas near Amritsar. Along with Capt Amarinder, he spent a night at the sect’s dera. A couple of days ago, Rahul had also spent a night at Dera Sachkhand Ballan near Jalandhar. The sect has a huge following among the Dalits.<br /><br />AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and the Badals too have visited deras in the run-up to the elections. Politicians feel dera supporters vote collectively. Their votes have impacted the outcome of the elections in the past, as in 2012 when the SAD-BJP alliance gained in close to 20 seats because of sect votes.<br /><br />In a three-cornered contest, where the AAP has managed a sizeable groundswell, the challenge for the Congress is to turn vote share into seats. The party got the maximum votes in the last elections, close to 42%, which was an improvement since the previous election. Yet the Congress got only 46 seats and lost the election to the SAD-BJP alliance. <br /><br />The Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda is headed by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and has a colossal following. Its chief has asked followers to ‘remain united’. The sect head has often come out with words of praise for Narendra Modi.</div>
<div align="justify">With just a couple of days left for polling in Punjab, politicians from all parties are queuing up at the doors of various sects and deras — which wield considerable influence over voters in the state. In the build-up to a likely scenario of a split mandate, dera votes can play a crucial role. Some of the sects espouse an egalitarian philosophy, yet many have their dedicated political wings that take a call on supporting a party or a particular candidate. <br /><br />In an estimated 40 constituencies out of 117 in Punjab, sects have their dominance. The Congress took an early lead last month when the party vice president Rahul Gandhi took a chartered flight to visit Dera Radha Soami Satsang in Beas near Amritsar. Along with Capt Amarinder, he spent a night at the sect’s dera. A couple of days ago, Rahul had also spent a night at Dera Sachkhand Ballan near Jalandhar. The sect has a huge following among the Dalits.<br /><br />AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and the Badals too have visited deras in the run-up to the elections. Politicians feel dera supporters vote collectively. Their votes have impacted the outcome of the elections in the past, as in 2012 when the SAD-BJP alliance gained in close to 20 seats because of sect votes.<br /><br />In a three-cornered contest, where the AAP has managed a sizeable groundswell, the challenge for the Congress is to turn vote share into seats. The party got the maximum votes in the last elections, close to 42%, which was an improvement since the previous election. Yet the Congress got only 46 seats and lost the election to the SAD-BJP alliance. <br /><br />The Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda is headed by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and has a colossal following. Its chief has asked followers to ‘remain united’. The sect head has often come out with words of praise for Narendra Modi.</div>
