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With Punjab State Assembly elections drawing close, Veteran Leader of Opposition L K Advani on Saturday reached Punjab for a visit to the Radha Swami Satsang headquarters in Beas. Advani landed at Guru Ramdas international airport in Amritsar and went straight to visit the Dear Head. The veteran leaderalso stayed the night at Beas Radha Swami headquarters and is expected to attend ‘satsang’ (prayer service) organised by Gurinder Dhillon Sunday morning. Advani was received by Punjab cabinet minister Anil Joshi, Punjab BJP president Kamal Sharma and BJP national secretary Tarun Chug at the airport. Though political observers feel that the visit was a “strategic move” in the run-up to expand BJP’s mass base in Punjab, aiming at forming government on its own after the next assembly elections, however sources in the dera said the visit was a “private affair”. “It was a religious visit and he wanted no disturbance. “My sole purpose is to visit Dera Beas,” said Advani in reply to a question whether he was here to woo deras of the state. The dera that has a huge following in north Indian states usually attracts political leaders before polls. Senior Congress leaders, including UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, are also frequent visitors. She had visited the dera ahead of 2002 Assembly elections, accompanied by Moti Lal Vora, who was then party’s Punjab affairs in-charge, and Natwar Singh, who was considered close to the Gandhi family. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh have also been visiting the dera for the blessings of the Baba. Punjab BJP president Kamal Sharma said Dera Beas followers are not confined to Punjab. They are across the nation and BJP could gain if the sect extends support to the party. This is one such attempt. Admin Note: Post Full News article with source URL at the bottom of each news. Posting a paragraph with intention to advertise by redirecting visitors to a 3rd party site not allowed.