Archive · 18 Jul 2026
Challenges in Polarising Hindu Voters in Punjab
In Punjab, India, Hindu voters are hard to divide based on religion.
They follow Hinduism but also respect Sikhism and other local traditions.
This makes it tough for political parties to get their votes by focusing only on religion.
In the past, different parties have tried to win over Hindu voters, but the voters have supported different parties at different times.
Experts say that trying to divide Hindu voters based on religion won't work because they have a mixed religious identity and follow various local sects.
Political parties are now focusing on other issues like development and law and order to attract voters.
Punjabi Hindus have a syncretic ethos, following Hinduism, Sikhism, and local sects, making religious polarisation difficult.
In 2022, AAP won 15 of 22 Hindu-stronghold assembly seats, followed by Congress and BJP.
Political parties have tried to attract Hindu voters through various announcements and projects, but with limited success.
Hindu voters in Punjab are not a single monolith; they are divided by caste and geography, with upper-caste Hindus in urban areas and Dalits/OBCs in rural areas.
The BJP's vote share increased from 9% in 2019 to 18% in 2024, but the party did not win any Lok Sabha seats in 2024.
- Who
- Hindu voters in Punjab, political parties (AAP, BJP, Congress, SAD)
- What
- Challenges in polarising Hindu voters due to their fluid religious identity and diverse voting patterns
- When
- Recent political developments and past election results
- Where
- Punjab, India
- Why
- Hindu voters in Punjab have a syncretic ethos, follow multiple faiths, and are not a single monolith
- Hindu Population in Punjab
- 10,678,138 (38.49% of electorate)
- Hindu-stronghold seats won by AAP in 2022
- 15 out of 22
- BJP's vote share in 2019 Lok Sabha elections
- 9%
- BJP's vote share in 2024 Lok Sabha elections
- 18%
- Upper-caste Hindus in Punjab
- 20% of population
- Dalit and OBC Hindus in Punjab
- 18-19% of electorate
- BJP's state president in Punjab
- Kewal Singh Dhillon