BJP seeks Dera and BJP seeks Dera Sacha Sauda and khap panchayats' blessingskhap blessings

Even as the BJP exhorts voters in Haryana to elect it with a thumping majority, sending the message through its star campaigner Narendra Modi no less, the party is aware that there is a very real chance the election might result in a hung Assembly.

And it is to mitigate the chances of this outcome that has led the party to reach out to the Dera Sacha Sauda and khap panchayats in an effort, perhaps, to tap into their massive support base.

There are around 92 khaps -controversial village-level councils-in Haryana that analysts say will prove key to the result of the October 15 election. The Dera, a Sirsa-based organisation described on its website as a "spiritual and philanthropic" body, boasts of millions of followers too. At his rallies across Haryana this past week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it a point to reserve portions in his speeches in their honour.

At a rally in Jind on Saturday, Modi said, "Today, leaders of different khaps are present here to give their blessings and I bow to them." He struck a similar note in Gurgaon at a public meeting in Gurgaon the same day.

At a third rally on Saturday, in Sirsa, Modi sent out a special message for Dera followers, several of whom were in attendance.

In a specific address to them, Modi recalled a visit to the Dera headquarters, where "I sought the blessings of the Dera chief ", refraining from naming Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insan. He, however, did speak about the Dera's late founder Shah Mastana to loud applause.

It is worth mentioning here that the Gurmeet Ram Rahim had recently praised Modi's 'Swachh Bharat' cleanliness drive.

Modi is not the only BJP leader said to be sending out feelers to the Dera. His Cabinet colleague and Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, whose sister is contesting the upcoming elections on a BJP ticket, as well as the BJP's campaign incharge for Haryana, Kailash Vijayvargiya, have also visited the Dera to seek his blessings. It is worth mentioning here that Dera followers are believed to be one of the most influential groups of voters in as many as 45 of the state's 90 constituencies.

However, political experts say members of khaps and people associated with them are "silent voters". Nogama khap chief Sunil Jaglan says khaps are apolitical by nature and "do not believe in extending support en masse to any one political outfit". "Khap members and people associated with them do vote, but for a candidate they feel is right," he added.