Tarn Taran Bypoll Exposes Internal BJP Rifts as Ticket Aspirants Jostle for Power in Sikh-Majority Seat
With the Tarn Taran bypoll around the corner, the BJP faces internal turbulence as multiple aspirants, including ex-Congress leaders, compete for the party ticket. Factionalism in this Sikh-majority Punjab seat could weaken the party's unity and electoral chances.
NewsSutra
The political battleground of Tarn Taran, a critical Sikh-majority constituency in Punjab, has become a theatre of internal strife for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the upcoming bypoll, likely to be announced formally in the coming weeks. What should have been a straightforward ticket declaration has morphed into a showcase of factional tensions within the party, as multiple leaders — many of whom are recent defectors from the Congress — are lobbying intensely for the BJP nomination.
The by-election, triggered by the resignation of the sitting MLA due to health issues, has created both opportunity and friction for the BJP as it tries to expand its limited base in Punjab's religiously and politically sensitive landscape.
A Crowded Field of Ticket Aspirants
As of July 2025, at least six individuals have emerged as strong contenders for the BJP ticket in Tarn Taran. Notably, three of them are former Congress leaders, who joined the saffron party in the last two years as part of a broader Punjab strategy aimed at building cross-party alliances.
Among the leading names are:
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Sukhdev Singh Virk, a two-time Congress councillor who defected to the BJP in 2023
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Amrikpal Singh Grewal, a retired police officer with deep ties to the Tarn Taran business community
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Satnam Kaur Birk, a woman leader active in local farmer circles and considered close to the BJP state leadership
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Rajinder Singh Jhabal, a senior BJP office bearer from Majha region with longstanding roots in the RSS
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Harjit Singh Dhillon, a prominent youth leader who transitioned from student politics
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Karamjit Singh Dalla, known for his outreach to rural Sikh voters
The influx of high-profile entrants and local influencers has intensified the race for nomination, causing deep unrest among grassroots BJP workers, who feel sidelined by parachuted candidates.
Signs of Factional Infighting
Behind closed doors, party meetings in Amritsar and Chandigarh have reportedly grown tense, with district unit leaders openly clashing over the selection process. Senior BJP sources, speaking anonymously to The Tribune, revealed that local cadres have threatened to boycott the campaign if an “outsider” is given the ticket.
One prominent BJP worker from Patti, Tarn Taran said:
“We have worked for decades, even when the BJP had no base here. Now suddenly, new faces arrive and get considered for tickets. It’s not just unfair — it’s demoralising.”
This discontent has even reached the BJP’s central leadership, with Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar reportedly calling for an emergency coordination meeting this week to mediate the growing tensions.
The Broader Context: BJP's Punjab Push
Traditionally, Punjab has not been a stronghold for the BJP, with the party often relying on alliances — most notably with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) — to contest elections. However, the 2020 farm law protests led to the collapse of the BJP-SAD alliance, forcing the BJP to recalibrate its Punjab strategy.
Since then, the BJP has tried to expand its footprint in Sikh-majority regions, especially in Majha, by recruiting influential local leaders and community figures. This strategy has been moderately successful in urban pockets, but remains fragile in rural constituencies like Tarn Taran, where legacy loyalties, farmer resentment, and religious identity politics still dominate.
According to a political analysis by Centre for Policy Research (CPR), Punjab’s electorate still perceives the BJP with skepticism, particularly after the farmer agitation.
Congress and AAP Watching Closely
Both Congress and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are monitoring the BJP’s internal issues with interest. For Congress, which has lost several local leaders to the BJP in recent years, the turmoil offers a chance to rebuild fractured district units and rally traditional vote banks.
AAP, on the other hand, is likely to retain its incumbent, should it renominate a candidate from its existing cadre. With Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s popularity still stable in parts of Majha, the ruling party may enter the bypoll as the frontrunner — unless BJP manages to field a well-balanced, socially resonant candidate.
An observer from Lokniti-CSDS noted in a recent report:
“Tarn Taran’s bypoll is less about winning and more about demonstrating relevance. The BJP's choice of candidate could impact its long-term perception in Sikh-majority constituencies.”
The Religious Undercurrent
Tarn Taran is one of the most religiously sensitive regions in Punjab, home to significant Sikh institutions and a high proportion of Amritdhari Sikhs (baptised followers). The BJP’s challenge is to project a candidate who aligns with Sikh sentiments while avoiding any communal overtones that could revive old suspicions.
Leaders close to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) have reportedly warned the BJP against fielding any candidate seen as “anti-farmer” or insensitive to Sikh traditions. This underscores the tightrope the BJP must walk — choosing between charisma and community compatibility.
Electoral Stakes: Beyond Tarn Taran
Though just a by-election, the Tarn Taran race holds larger implications for the BJP in Punjab:
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Testing Ground for 2027 Assembly Elections: A strong performance or a high vote share could validate BJP’s revised Punjab strategy.
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Message to Cadre and Recruits: Managing the candidate selection process effectively will show whether the party can integrate new entrants without alienating old loyalists.
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Caste and Religious Optics: With Jat Sikh dominance in the region, the ticket choice may also influence future caste-based alliances and perception among rural Sikh voters.
According to data from PRS Legislative Research, voter turnout in bypolls across Punjab averages 64–68%, indicating that every factional slip could translate into vote share loss — especially in such micro-contested seats.
Central Leadership’s Balancing Act
To prevent open rebellion, the BJP high command has reportedly deployed observers from Delhi, who are assessing not just winnability, but also internal acceptability of each aspirant.
There are unconfirmed reports that Amit Shah’s office has sought detailed feedback from booth-level workers and local RSS pracharaks to ensure that the final nominee does not lead to organisational fragmentation.
“The bypoll may be small, but the damage from mishandling it could be large,” said a former BJP Punjab in-charge, speaking to The Indian Express under anonymity.
Conclusion: Tarn Taran — A Microcosm of BJP's Punjab Dilemma
The Tarn Taran bypoll has become more than just a local contest. It is now a litmus test for the BJP's ability to grow in regions where it has historically struggled, to manage internal contradictions, and to balance ideological commitment with electoral pragmatism.
As the party nears its final decision on the ticket, the larger question remains: can the BJP unify its internal ranks in time to mount a credible challenge — or will factional rifts gift the seat to its rivals?
In a state like Punjab, where identity, faith, and history often overshadow development talk, how the BJP navigates this challenge will signal its future viability not just in Tarn Taran — but across the Sikh heartland.
