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Satnami Guru Family Split Raises Stakes in Chhattisgarh Politics

A well-known Satnami religious family in Chhattisgarh has members supporting different political parties.

Dhal Das joined the Congress party.

His brother, Guru Khuswant Das, is a minister from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Dhal Das said he discussed his decision with his father and brother.

The family is connected to Guru Ghasi Das, an important social reformer.

Many Satnamis are voters in Chhattisgarh, so political leaders pay close attention to them.

Satnamis make up about 18 percent of the state’s population.

Khuswant Das said the family’s political difference would not change the state’s politics.

Key facts

Political move: Dhal Das joined the Congress in the presence of former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel.
Family connection: The family descends from 18th-century social reformer Guru Ghasi Das.
Brother’s position: Guru Khuswant Das is a cabinet minister in the Vishnu Deo Sai ministry.
Community size: Dalits constitute 18 percent of Chhattisgarh’s population, according to the article.
Electoral reach: Satnamis are described as influential in 21 of Chhattisgarh’s 90 Assembly constituencies.
Recent political history: Guru Bal Das and Guru Khuswant Das joined the Bharatiya Janata Party before the 2023 Assembly polls.
Disputed impact: Khuswant Das said Dhal Das’s Congress induction would have no impact on state politics.

deccanchronicle.com · 1 hr ago