Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, labelling it a “remote-controlled” administration that has failed to maintain law and order or foster development in Punjab.
Hours before addressing the Badlav Rally at Killi Chahlan in Moga to mark the beginning of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) campaign for the 2027 Punjab assembly elections, Shah posted on X: “Today, I am eager to connect with the sisters and brothers of Punjab in Moga. Every person in Punjab wants change. Because the sacred land of Punjab, renowned for its youth, farmers, and hardworking people, has been drowned in corruption, drugs, and crime by the AAP-Da government. In the remotely controlled AAP-Da government, law and order and development are nowhere to be found in Punjab.”
BJP’s growing footprint
The rally, being held at a venue where Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann previously hosted a mega-event, is a strategic move by the saffron party to showcase its growing footprint in the border state. Spread over 110 acres, the BJP claimed a turnout of over one lakh supporters, with 30 buses deployed from each of the 117 assembly constituencies.
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar and working president Ashwani Sharma, who supervised the arrangements, described the event as a “historic moment” for the state’s politics.
Amit Shah’s visit follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s significant trip to Dera Ballan in Jalandhar on February 1, which signalled the BJP’s intent to court the state’s 32% Dalit vote bank. During that visit, the PM honoured the Ravidassia community by renaming the Adampur airport after Guru Ravidas. Together, these visits by the BJP’s top brass underscore a concerted effort to establish the party as a primary contender in Punjab, moving beyond its historical status as a junior ally.
Alliance speculations
Beyond the rhetoric against the ruling AAP, political observers are watching the rally for signals regarding the BJP’s electoral strategy. A key question remains whether the party will contest the 2027 polls alone or reunite with its erstwhile ally, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).
“The most debated issue is whether the BJP and SAD will join hands again. While one section favours a coalition, another wants the party to go solo to expand its base,” a senior party leader noted.
The AAP government recently stepped up its confrontation with the BJP in the Vidhan Sabha, particularly over central policies and essential commodity shortages. However, the BJP remains undeterred, with leaders like Sukhminderpal Singh Grewal asserting that the Badlav Rally symbolises a movement for “transparency and accountability that will end AAP’s misrule”.
While the BJP’s central leadership also remains occupied with finalising strategies for the West Bengal elections, the scale of the Moga mobilisation suggests that Punjab has moved up the priority list for the party’s national hierarchy.
