RAIPUR: In a dramatic turn of events carrying political ramifications in Chhattisgarh, the influential Satnami Guru family witnessed an open political fracture after Dhal Das—the eldest son of prominent spiritual leader Guru Baldas Saheb and elder brother of state BJP minister Guru Khushwant Saheb—formally joined the opposition Congress party.
The high-profile induction took place in Raipur, where former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel formally welcomed Dhal Das into the party fold by garlanding him and presenting with the party sash.
The Satnami Guru family, direct lineage descendants of the revered 18th-century social reformer Baba Guru Ghasidas, commands massive spiritual reverence and formidable electoral clout among the Scheduled Caste (SC) electorate across central Chhattisgarh.
Speaking after joining Congress, Dhal Das launched a direct statement at the ruling establishment.
"The public knows exactly what the BJP is doing," Dhal Das stated. On his electoral ambitions, he added: "If the Congress leadership provides an opportunity, I am keen to contest from the Mungeli Assembly constituency. However, I stand prepared to contest from wherever the party decides to field me.”
Dhal Das also claimed that his decision did not stem from personal discord, asserting that he had consulted both his father, Guru Baldas, and his younger brother, Minister Khushwant Saheb, before taking the political plunge, and claimed both had consented to his move.
The defection triggered sharp reactions from the ruling BJP. Reacting strongly to his elder brother’s move, BJP Cabinet Minister Guru Khushwant Saheb dismissed any political dent and accused the Congress of playing opportunistic politics. "Congress has always indulged in the politics of division," Khushwant remarked.
Guru Baldas has four sons—Dhal Das, Somesh Das, Minister Khushwant Das, and Saurabh Das—along with a daughter. While Guru Baldas and Khushwant had thrown their substantial political weight behind the BJP ahead of the 2023 assembly elections—paving the way for Khushwant's assembly victory and subsequent ministerial elevation—the eldest son’s defection to Congress signals a major counter-offensive by Baghel to reclaim the crucial Satnami vote bank.
