My Four Years in the BJP

April 6, 2026

Dr Jagmohan Singh Raju

For the last four years, one question has followed me with steady persistence: why did I join the BJP? When the question comes from political opponents, it is predictable. When it comes from well-wishers, it is understandable. But when it comes from ordinary citizens — especially Sikhs and Punjabis — it deserves a thoughtful answer. Four years is long enough to test intent against experience. It allows reflection without defensiveness and affirmation without exaggeration.

I joined the BJP after careful consideration, not impulse. I did so with clarity about what I hoped to pursue in public life and with realism about how governance actually functions in India. My reasons were neither ideological excitement nor personal ambition. They were grounded in a simple conviction: if one wishes to influence outcomes meaningfully, one must engage with the system that governs the country. Distance may offer moral comfort; it rarely delivers change.

Engagement, Not Distance

Any region seeking solutions must engage with the structures that shape national decision-making. This is not about agreement on every issue; it is about responsibility. My years in administration taught me that governance does not occur from outside the room. It requires sustained engagement with institutions and those entrusted with authority.

Punjab’s challenges economic stagnation, agrarian stress, drug abuse, strains on law and order, and youth migration cannot be addressed through episodic confrontation with the Centre. They demand consistent representation, credibility, and the ability to raise difficult issues without theatrics. This understanding shaped my decision to enter the BJP.

A Sikh in the BJP: Experience Over Perception

There exists a perception that the BJP, or the broader ideological ecosystem around it, is uncomfortable terrain for Sikhs. I understand the historical and emotional roots of that perception. Yet perceptions must eventually be tested against lived experience.My experience over these four years has been clear. I have not felt my Sikh identity questioned or reduced to symbolism. I have raised Punjab-related and Sikh concerns candidly and without inhibition. I have neither been asked to dilute my identity nor to subordinate it. Engagement has been professional and substantive.The BJP, like any national party, encompasses diverse voices.

What matters is whether there is space for serious engagement. That space has existed and it has been available to me without reservation.

Choice Reinforced by Experience

The reasons with which I joined the BJP have been reinforced rather than altered by experience. I have seen a willingness to address long-pending Sikh concerns through institutional processes rather than rhetoric.The question of justice and rehabilitation related to the anti-Sikh violence of 1984 is one such example. Administrative steps taken by BJP-led governments in Delhi and Haryana to provide employment to affected families reflected seriousness in addressing unresolved pain. Equally important was allowing due process to move forward. For a community that values justice deeply, this carries weight.

Moments of national recognition have also mattered. The commemoration of the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji in Delhi affirmed Sikh history as integral to India’s civilisational narrative. Recognition does not substitute for policy, but it reinforces dignity.
On a personal level, I have had complete freedom to raise issues of public interest, including sensitive matters such as Holy City status for Sri Amritsar. The absence of hesitation in discussing such issues strengthened my belief that engagement from within enables responsible advocacy.

Institutional Fit, Not Ideological Conversion

It is important to clarify what my association with the BJP represents and what it does not. I did not join as an ideological convert, nor as a temporary participant. I joined because I found an institutional environment that values seriousness of governance, administrative experience, and national perspective.

The Constitution of the Bharatiya Janata Party speaks of building an egalitarian society committed to social justice, national unity, and equal opportunity. These principles are not abstract to me; they have guided my understanding of public service. In recent years, this orientation has found articulation in the Prime Minister’s emphasis on Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. I interpret this not as a slogan, but as a governing ethic development that is inclusive without appeasement and national integration without exclusion.
That emphasis aligns with my convictions.

Power as Responsibility

Critics sometimes describe joining a party in power as opportunism. This view misunderstands governance. Power is not merely a prize; it is responsibility. Those who wish to shape outcomes must be prepared to shoulder that responsibility rather than comment from the margins.At this stage of life, personal ambition is not a motivating force. What remains is duty to use experience where it can be effective rather than expressive. The BJP, as a principal national political force, offers substantial scope for such engagement.

Punjab’s Voice at the National Table

Punjab cannot afford political isolation. A state that once commanded national attention must not allow its voice to weaken through disengagement. My decision to join the BJP was guided by the belief that Punjab needs credible representation within national power structures voices that understand both the state’s concerns and the Centre’s constraints.Representation is achieved not through noise alone, but through presence, persistence, and credibility. Being within the system allows one to argue, persuade, and negotiate with continuity.

Politics Is Dynamic

Politics is never static. It evolves with events and public expectations. Engagement within any democratic party requires both commitment and candour. My association with the BJP does not preclude debate; it implies participation in shaping direction from within. Alignment in a democracy is active involvement, not passive acceptance.

Conclusion: Affirmation with Responsibility

Four years are sufficient to test assumptions. In my case, they have confirmed that my decision was neither impulsive nor misplaced. I joined the BJP with clear reasons, and experience has strengthened them.

This is not a claim of perfection, nor a denial of complexity. It is an affirmation that engagement, undertaken with clarity and self-respect, can coexist with identity and conscience. For Punjab and for Sikhs, sustained engagement with national power structures is not compromise; it is responsibility.Public life is ultimately about service. My four years in the BJP have shown me that this is a platform where responsibility can be exercised meaningfully provided one remains engaged with honesty, independence, and a constant willingness to reflect.