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Shah’s ‘Badlav Rally’ today to kick off BJP’s Punjab poll push
Political observers expecting Shah to give a clear direction to the party and indicate whether the BJP will contest the upcoming assembly polls alone or re-enter with the Shrimoni Akali Dal
With less than a year left for the Punjab assembly elections, the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to sound the poll bugle at Union home minister Amit Shah’s “Badlav Rally” on Saturday, where he is expected to outline the party’s road map for the state.
All eyes are on the rally, with political observers expecting Shah to give a clear direction to the party and possibly indicate whether the BJP will contest the next assembly polls alone or re-enter an alliance with its erstwhile partner, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).
The BJP is claiming that at least 1 lakh people will attend the rally being held at Killi Chahlan, which party leaders describe as a central location for the entire state.
Langar arrangements are in place, along with a massive stage capable of accommodating around 80 leaders. To mobilise workers and supporters, the BJP has arranged 30 buses from each of the state’s 117 assembly constituencies. Shah is expected to reach the rally venue around noon.
Notably, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann had addressed a mega rally at the same venue in February this year.
Political parties across Punjab are closely watching the rally, especially as the BJP’s political graph in the state has seen an uptick over the past year, particularly after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, with several Sikh leaders joining the party.
During the ongoing Budget session of the Punjab assembly, the ruling AAP government had strongly countered the BJP — more aggressively than the principal opposition, Congress — over issues such as the proposed Indo-US trade deal and the shortage of LPG and other essential commodities amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.
BJP leaders believe Shah’s address may help clear the air over a possible alliance with the SAD.
“The most debated issue in Punjab’s political circles today is whether the BJP and the SAD will join hands again for the 2027 assembly polls or whether the party will go solo. While one section favours a coalition, another wants the BJP to contest alone to expand its base in Punjab. Shah may throw some light on the issue,” said a senior party leader from Hoshiarpur.
The rally is also being seen as a litmus test for the BJP’s organisational strength in the state, with attention focused on whether the party succeeds in mobilising a massive turnout.
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar, who inspected the rally venue, along with party working president Ashwani Sharma, claimed that the event would be the biggest rally in the history of Punjab.
“The BJP is all set to showcase its political strength in the state. At the rally, the Union home minister will not only address party workers but also present the BJP’s road map for Punjab,” Jakhar said.
Sharma said the rally would set the political tone for the BJP in the state ahead of the assembly elections. BJP’s state organising general secretary Manthari Srinivasullu is camping in Moga for the past 10 days to oversee the arrangements.
This is the second high-profile visit by a BJP leader in Punjab. On February 1, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Dera Ballan in Jalandhar district, the spiritual headquarters of the Ravidassia community in the state.
BJP-led central govt biased against Punjab: Cheema
Ahead of Union home minister Amit Shah’s political rally in Moga, AAP leader and finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Friday accused the BJP government at the Centre of consistently discriminating against Punjab.
Cheema claimed that the central government had repeatedly blocked legitimate funds and attempted to weaken the state’s economy. “Punjab has always stood firmly with the nation, yet the Centre is deliberately sidelining the state,” he said at a press conference here.
The AAP leader alleged that after the repeal of the three farm laws following massive protests led by Punjab’s farmers, the BJP leadership developed resentment towards the state and had since been trying to economically undermine the state.
He said the central government had withheld thousands of crores belonging to Punjab under several schemes, including the Rural Development Fund. The minister said he had repeatedly raised these concerns during meetings with the Union finance minister and demanded the release of Punjab’s pending funds under the Rural Development Fund, the National Health Mission, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, but the central government consistently delayed payments on one pretext or another.
