If the Assembly election in Haryana is any indicator, the impact of the Dera Sacha Sauda - which has often drawn flak for meddling in political affairs - appears insignificant this time.

Unlike the elections in Punjab - where the political parties made every attempt, albeit clandestinely, to muster support of the sect - major political parties in Haryana have preferred to stay away from the sect.

Many top leaders who matter in the state politics, including Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, did not visit the sect, which is the standard practice around the elections. There was little concerted effort by any political party to cozy up with the sect in the run up to the elections, though certain leaders at an individual level did make attempts to keep followers of the sect in good humour.

This is also the first election when certain sect followers sensed an opportunity to accomplish their political ambition by seeking tickets 'in the name of the Dera', only to be rubbished by the political parties. The Haryana BJP has minced no words in keeping the Dera at an arm's length. Its state president Krishan Pal Gujjar had earlier said, "We believe that a religious sect should not interfere in political matters. It hurts emotions of the people. It puts a question mark on the credibility of the sect." That the Congress claims to be close to the sect is well known.

While the sect has always denied involvement in political affairs, an integral part of the sect, its political wing, carries out an elaborate exercise in the run up to every election to decide on which party or individual to support. This time at the end of the exercise, which involved sending questionnaires to thousands of followers, the political wing's announcement was on expected lines. Sources said a "divided" opinion, based on the response given in the questionnaire left its political wing with little choice but to ask the followers to vote according to "their conscience".

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