Satguru Udai Singh Of Namdhari Community Met PM Modi

Satguru Udai Singh met PM Modi before the Punjab elections. He is the head of the Namdhari community. 

Two days before the voting for the Punjab Assembly elections, Satguru Udai Singh, chief of the Namdhari community, met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi.

This meeting has started a new discussion in the political circles. Prime Minister Modi tweeted and shared two pictures of this meeting and wrote, ‘Met Shri Uday Singh Ji of Bhaini Sahib.’

Political experts are making many speculations about this meeting.

In view of the importance of Deras in Punjab politics, Satguru Udai Singh’s meeting with the Prime Minister is being considered important.

Though all political parties reach Bhaini Sahib, this community has been the vote bank of Congress at some point in time.

Hanspal Namdhari has also been the President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee for a long time. The headquarters of the Namdhari community is at Bhaini Sahib.

There are six to seven lakh voters of this community and whichever their votes lean towards, that party can benefit in the elections.

A few days ago, Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) president Sukhbir Singh Badal and Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had reached Bhaini Sahib and met Satguru Udai Singh.

PM offers hospitality to prominent Sikh personalities.

At the same time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met prominent Sikh personalities engaged in social and religious work in Punjab and other parts of the country, two days before voting for the assembly elections.

With this meeting, he has tried to send a message that the Sikh community can go with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The way the Bharatiya Janata Party has emerged in the state after the repeal of the Agricultural Reforms Act and the visits by top party leaders, the message is very clear that the BJP intends to form the government in Punjab.

It is noteworthy that earlier the BJP was reduced to only 23 seats in Punjab in alliance with Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) for the last two-and-a-half decades.

During this, a coalition government was formed thrice, but the BJP never advanced itself on Sikh-majority seats or rural seats.

After breaking ties with Akali Dal, BJP is now trying to expand itself in the Sikh community. Prime Minister Modi’s meeting with prominent Sikh personalities on Friday is being seen in this context.

Amarinder Singh, a former member of Shiromani Gurdwara Management Committee, says that all these Deras or institutions may not be in Punjab, but their base or branches are also in Punjab.

There are some who support the Akali Dal or the Congress. Some of these factions are operating separately, they have met the Prime Minister.

Mahant Karamjit Singh, President Dera Sevapanti, Yamunanagar: This Dera is of course in Yamunanagar but they have a big Dera also in Mandi Goniana of Bathda district.

Arora Sikh fraternity is a big follower of this Dera. Therefore, they have a good impact on the seats like Bhucho Mandi, Malout and Abohar, etc.

Harmeet Khalsa, President Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee: Harmeet Singh Khalsa has been close to Akali Dal (Badal) president Sukhbir Badal and has a good base among urban Sikhs.

Of course, Harmeet Singh does not have that much influence in Punjab directly.

But the way Harmeet Singh has become closer to the BJP after Manjinder Sirsa, who was close to Sukhbir, has shocked the Akali Dal. Sikhs living as a minority have to influence.