A cousin of Ram Rahim joins the BJP
Yesterday in New Delhi, Harminder Singh Jassi, a close cousin of the incarcerated Dera Sacha Sauda president Gurmeet Ram Rahim and a former three-time MLA, joined the BJP ahead of the Punjab and Haryana elections.
Jassi said, “I have been observing his (Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s) policies for many years now.” Jassi joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar. He has advanced the nation and enhanced India’s standing internationally. The Prime Minister’s initiatives inspired and motivated me, therefore, I decided to join the BJP.
The party is expected to gain momentum in the twin states as a result of Jassi’s BJP membership and his strong connections to the Dera (his daughter is married to the son of the Dera leader). Punjab will hold elections on June 1 and Haryana tomorrow.
Sources said that although the dera has not endorsed a political party in the Lok Sabha election, the addition of a close family member of the dera chief would help send the “correct message” to voters on the day that Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke at his first-ever rally in Punjab.
“The BJP is gaining a number of senior leaders from all political parties.” The addition of a prominent Congressman like as Jassi would undoubtedly help the party’s campaign in Punjab, according to Punjab media chief Vineet Joshi.
According to reports, the dera has sway over over ten Lok Sabha seats in Punjab and Haryana. With its headquarters located in Sirsa, the dera has significant sway over voters in at least the Lok Sabha constituencies of Sirsa and Hisar.
On the other hand, Punjab has an intricate network of 84 branches, the largest of which is located in Salabatpur, Bathinda. Eight Lok Sabha seats in the Malwa region—Bathinda, Ferozepur, Faridkot, Fatehgarh Sahib, Patiala, Anandpur Sahib, Sangrur, and Ludhiana—are reportedly under its significant influence.
