Dera Sacha Sauda mum on support

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Bathinda, May 31

Unlike before, Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda has maintained a stoic silence on its support to the political parties.

We have not announced support to any political party in Punjab. Our political wing was dissolved last year. Now we are concentrating on social work. Harcharan Singhe, committee member, Dera sacha sauda

The dera, which dissolved its political wing last year, is on an image-building exercise and is just focusing on social work this time.

Highly-placed sources confirmed to The Tribune that the dera would not make any formal announcement on supporting any party and would spread the word quietly.

Dera committee memberHarcharan Singh said, “We have not announced support to any party in Punjab. Our political wing was dissolved last year. Now we are concentrating on social work.”

A Malwa-based BJP leader, where the dera wields considerable influence, said, “The dera may support the BJP in Punjab. Their official decision will come around 8 pm.”

A dera follower said, “Each parliamentary constituency in Malwa has at least 2 lakh dera followers. In Majha and Doaba, this figure is between 40,000 and 50,000, respectively.”

In the 2017 Assembly poll, the dera had announced to support the SAD-BJP alliance despite facing alleged atrocities of the SAD leaders after extending support to the Congress in the 2007 Vidhan Sabha elections.

The dera followers could influence the outcome in around 40 Assembly segments in Malwa. It has 84 branches in Punjab, including the biggest at Salabatpura, in Bathinda district.

A pink robe worn by Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh during a congregation at Salabatpura on May 13, 2007, had

triggered a row. He was accused of ‘imitating’ Guru Gobind Singh.