Congress's Channi gamble may alienate Jat Sikhs

The Congress party’s decision to go with Charanjit Singh Channi as its chief ministerial face for the Punjab Assembly polls is a bold gamble to consolidate the sizable Dalit votes, but the move could also end up alienating the dominant Jat Sikhs.

Punjab traditionally has had chief ministers only from the Jat Sikh community, a pattern that was broken for the first time by the elevation of Charanjit Channi, a Dalit, to the chief minister’s post.

Dalits constitute 33% of the state’s population, a big chunk which the Congress is hoping to pocket in the polls and help it overcome the anti-incumbency inherited
following the five-year tenure of former CM Capt Amarinder Singh.

Over the last few assembly elections, Jat Sikhs, who constitute 18% of the state population, have backed the SAD-BJP alliance more and, more recently, even the AAP.

The Congress has failed to consolidate the Jat Sikh voters in the last three polls and may lose them again due to Channi’s elevation, as the community may feel that it is losing its politically ‘dominant status’.

In 2017, the AAP made its debut in Punjab and surprised everyone by winning 20 seats. Interestingly, the AAP garnered 30% of the Jat Sikh votes, more than that of the Congress.

The SAD-BJP combined share of Jat Sikh votes was a sizable 52% in 2012, but plunged to 37% in 2017 when the AAP was in poll fray.

Experts said the Congress, which stood third in vote share of Jat Sikhs in 2017, could see further erosion of its vote share.

With Navjot Sidhu, a Jat Sikh, missing the bus for the second time in quick succession — first when the party was to name Capt’s replacement and now with Channi being chosen as CM face — the party could pay a heavy price for the move.

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