JALANDHAR: Political parties in Punjab, including Bharatiya Janata Party, have parvasi cells mainly to focus on migrants from other states. However, in a first, BJP has created a special Himachal cell in Jalandhar, the first cell named after a state. According to BJP insiders, the move is part of micromanagement by the party as it is working to expand and consolidate its base in Punjab when it set to go alone in the 2022 assembly elections.
There are scores of residents in Punjab who trace their roots in Himachal but are now permanent residents of the state. Sources said that other districts too can have such special cells if the local BJP units feel the need. Punjab unit of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) already has a predominant presence of parcharaks, who are important functionaries of the Sangh, who have roots in Himachal.
Jalandhar district BJP president Sushil Sharma, who announced the setting up of the Himachal cell and appointed Devinder Mintu as its convenor, said that the cell had existed earlier too. However, queries from former district BJP presidents Raman Pabbi and Ramesh Sharma confirmed that it did not exist during their tenures and was a new formation. “We want to work more extensively among people originally hailing from Himachal and to strengthen the party base among them,” BJP unit chief Sushil Sharma said.
There are a few pockets in Jalandhar, where residents of Himachal origin have been living for decades, and many belong to the second generation now.
BJP insiders said the drive is part of micromanagement by the BJP just like has been done in other states. “The strategy is to work in specific pockets of different sections to try to bring them closer to the party for expansion and to influence electoral results,” said a senior party leader.
“Districts can have their own cells. Though we have parvasi cell, common perception is that it is meant for people basically belonging to UP and Bihar, who are present in the state in big numbers. Idea is that some section which needs special attention for bringing them closer to the party and for that district presidents have been authorized to form special cells,” said Punjab BJP general secretary Subhash Sharma and confirmed that the special cell has not been named after any specific state in Punjab except the Himachal cell.
It is learnt that there is a significant presence of parcharks in Punjab unit of RSS. “There are not many from Punjab who come forward to become parcharks, which means having a very frugal lifestyle. At the same time, several from Himachal have dedicated themselves as parcharks and that is the main reason for their significant presence in Punjab unit,” said sources in RSS and BJP.