Chandigarh, October 24, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has criticised the reported renewed proximity between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), questioning how Union Home Minister Amit Shah could promise to rid Punjab of drugs while joining hands with Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia.
Taking a swipe at the possibility of an alliance between the two parties, Kejriwal said that Shah eliminating drugs in Punjab through an understanding with Majithia would be the “eighth wonder of the world”.
In a post on X, Kejriwal said, “Majithia and Amit Shah are extremely close, just like brothers. Now, by forming an alliance with Majithia, Amit Shah ji will rid Punjab of drugs. This would be the eighth wonder of the world. Waah, Modi ji, waah. What a master plan.”
AAP Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia also targeted the BJP over the reported political understanding.
“Amit Shah’s plan to ‘control’ drugs in Punjab. He will do it by joining hands with Majithia. Not eliminate drugs, just ‘control’ them,” Sisodia said.
Meanwhile, AAP Punjab president Aman Arora, responding to questions from the media about the growing proximity between the BJP and the Akali Dal, said the two parties had previously announced plans to contest all 117 Assembly seats independently but appeared to have reconsidered after assessing the public mood.
Related Posts
Arora said the people of Punjab were unwilling to accept the two parties again, regardless of whether they contested the 2027 Assembly elections together or separately.
“The people of Punjab have seen what the Akali Dal and BJP did during their ten years in power. They have also seen how the Congress government betrayed the people during its five years in office,” he said.
Arora added that rallies and roadshows alone would not determine electoral outcomes, arguing that voters were more concerned about governance, development and public welfare.
He claimed that the Bhagwant Mann-led government had delivered more work in four-and-a-half years than previous governments had achieved over several decades. He expressed confidence that voters would assess the performance of different administrations before casting their ballots in 2027.
Responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s assertion that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would form the next government in Punjab, Arora said political leaders often made such statements to motivate their workers and strengthen their organisations.
He maintained that the ultimate test would be the work done for the public and predicted that the AAP would return to power with a strong mandate.
AAP Punjab media in-charge Baltej Pannu also criticised the BJP and Akali Dal, linking their previous tenure in government to the state’s drug crisis.
“From 2007 to 2017, during the Akali-BJP rule, the scourge of ‘chitta’ first emerged in Punjab and, before anyone could realise the scale of the crisis, it had swallowed an entire generation of Punjabis,” Pannu said.
He accused the BJP of attempting to bring Punjab back into a period of crisis by renewing its political ties with the Akali Dal and Majithia. Pannu said the Mann government was committed to tackling the drug menace.
AAP chief spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said the BJP and Akali Dal had maintained political links despite periods of formal separation, arguing that their decisions to join or leave alliances were driven by electoral calculations.
“They remain connected politically and come together whenever they believe it will benefit them. When they feel that staying apart will serve their interests, they separate. Their political positions change according to their calculations,” Dhaliwal said.
Referring to the three farm laws introduced by the Centre under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dhaliwal said the Akali Dal had distanced itself from the BJP when it believed the association could trigger public opposition in Punjab.
He described the latest developments as another example of what he called the political convenience underlying the relationship between the two parties.
“Whether they contest together or separately makes no difference to us. Neither the Akali Dal nor the BJP has the political standing in Punjab to form the next government,” Dhaliwal said, adding that he expected the AAP to return to power under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann after the 2027 Assembly elections.
The remarks come amid political positioning ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections scheduled for 2027, with parties debating alliances, governance records and the state’s continuing challenge of tackling drug abuse.
FOLLOW NOW
