Can estimates be drawn from this about development in Punjab?
Polling
The idea of industrial development in any state can be gauged from new industrial power connections in a state. Punjab, with 23 districts, has around 3,400 new industrial connections.
Vijay Sampla, once a plumber and labourer, who rose from being a village sarpanch in rural Punjab to becoming a Union Minister of State, MP from Hoshiarpur, and Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, remains one of the most recognised Dalit leaders of the BJP in Punjab. Today, he is a strong critic of the ruling AAP, repeatedly accusing it of being Anti-Dalit. But after his disappointing loss from Phagwara in the 2022 elections, the question ahead of 2027 has become far more interesting: Is Vijay Sampla preparing for a political comeback or has his role changed within the state’s shifting political landscape ?
विजय सांपला, जिन्होंने कभी प्लंबर और मज़दूर के रूप में काम किया और फिर एक ग्रामीण सरपंच से उठकर केंद्रीय राज्य मंत्री, होशियारपुर से सांसद और राष्ट्रीय अनुसूचित जाति आयोग के अध्यक्ष तक का सफर तय किया, आज पंजाब भाजपा के सबसे पहचाने जाने वाले दलित नेताओं में से एक हैं। आज वह पंजाब की AAP सरकार के कड़े आलोचक हैं और बार-बार उसे दलित विरोधी करार देते हैं। लेकिन 2022 में फगवाड़ा सीट से करारी हार के बाद, 2027 के लिए सवाल और भी दिलचस्प हो गया है: क्या विजय सांपला फिर से राजनीतिक मैदान में वापसी की तैयारी कर रहे हैं या बदलते राजनीतिक माहौल में उनकी भूमिका बदल चुकी है ?
Vikas Sharma, who contested as the BJP candidate from Ghanaur in 2022, faced a heavy defeat, finishing well behind AAP, Akali Dal and Congress contenders. As the party prepares for the 2027 elections, internal tensions within BJP in Ghanaur are becoming more visible. Local leader Harvinder Singh Harpalpur is actively mobilizing support on the ground, backed by former MP and BJP leader Preneet Kaur. With these dynamics in play, the key question is: Will BJP stick with Vikas Sharma and give him another ticket from Ghanaur or will the party look for a fresh face to strengthen its chances in a constituency already riddled with local rivalries?
