Week after Gurmeet Ram Rahim's release, no word yet on support to any party

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Chandigarh, February 14

A week after Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh came out on furlough from Rohtak’s Sunaria jail, the political wing of the Dera Sacha Sauda continues to maintain a studied silence on supporting any political party in the upcoming Assembly elections.

Suggestions sought

Our political panel has sought suggestions from Premis. We will vote according to the message we get from our political wing. Subhash Chhabra, dera Fazilka incharge

While deliberations on the issue are underway in the top echelons of the dera, a large section of the ‘Premis’ (followers) has conveyed to the management to refrain from making a commitment to any political party, it is learnt.

A senior functionary from Sangrur said: “We cannot forget the action on ‘Premis’ in Haryana in August 2017 under the BJP rule. We faced problems at the hands of the Shiormani Akali Dal after we supported the Congress in the 2007 elections. A section of Premis feels the Congress has ignored them after the 2007 elections. Another section had supported the Aam Aadmi Party the last time. They have now realised the AAP is no different from any other party.”

Before the release of the dera chief, political leaders of different parties had made rounds of the dera. While officially, the BJP has denied that the party played any role in the grant of furlough to the dera chief, critics differ. BJP leader Surjit Jyani had visited the Salabatpura dera on January 9 along with senior leader Harjit Grewal.

The Congress too marked its present at a dera event through representatives Vijay Inder Singla and Sadhu Singh Dharmsot, while Jagroop Gill attended the meet on AAP’s behalf.

After his visit, Jyani is learnt to be getting support from dera supporters in the area. In Talwandi Sabo of Bathinda district, former Congress minister Harmander Singh Jassi, contesting as an Independent, is also learnt to be getting dera’s support. Jassi’s daughter is married to the son of the dera chief.

Strong presence in 27 Malwa seats

• The dera has a strong presence in 27 constituencies of Malwa belt
• It has 84 branches in state, with Bathinda’s Salabatpura dera being biggest
• There around 90K Premis in Ferozepur & 58,000 in Fazilka districts