Chandigarh, February 17 – The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday launched its campaign for the 2027 Assembly elections, with President Sukhbir Badal promising to protect the interests of farmers and vulnerable sections, provide interest-free loans of Rs 10 lakh to young people, ensure government jobs only for Punjabis, and eliminate the culture of gangsters and the drug mafia.
Sukhbir Badal also asserted that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was not only corrupt and had acquired 2,500 acres of land in Australia, but was also preparing to compromise the state's water resources.
"The file that the Central government has prepared against Bhagwant Mann has forced him to soften his position regarding the transfer of water to Haryana through the SYL canal. I want to make it clear. We are willing to sacrifice everything, but we will not allow a single drop of water from the SYL (Sutlej-Yamuna Link) canal to flow out of the state," he said.
He also stated that Punjab was suffering because the Aam Aadmi Party had refused to speak up for the state at the Centre.
"Any party that sells its Rajya Sabha seats to the highest bidder will face this fate," he said, adding that the AAP had sold its Rajya Sabha seats to wealthy individuals Rajinder Gupta and Ashok Mittal.
Referring to the record 40 rallies that the party had organized before Baisakhi, the SAD President expressed his gratitude to the Akali party members, including party in-charge Guriqbal Singh Mahal and Punjabis, for gathering in large numbers to launch the "Punjab Bachao-Sukhbir Singh Badal Liyao" campaign in Qadian town in Gurdaspur district.
"The rally has shown that Punjabis are eager for the return of the SAD in 2027 and want to deal a resounding defeat to all Delhi-based parties," he said.
Badal outlined the party's agenda, saying, "Give me five years, and I will lead Punjab back to an era of peace, progress, and prosperity."
He also announced a number of commitments to the people of Punjab, covering all sections of society. Speaking about farmers, Badal said that tubewell connections would be provided to all those who did not have one within one week of the formation of the next SAD government.
He also announced the establishment of "pucca bundhs" (embankments) on rivers to deal with floods, assured the grant of land rights to those who had been denied them, and the free partition of joint ownership of land.
Speaking about how the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party had first reduced and were now denying social welfare benefits to the underprivileged, Badal said, "We are committed to strengthening all social welfare schemes that were started by Parkash Singh Badal, besides creating more new schemes for the vulnerable sections."
He said that the "atta-daal" scheme would be restarted, with "atta" at Rs 4 per kg and "daal" at Rs 20 per kg. "An assistance of Rs 1 lakh for weddings will be provided to the poorer sections, and old-age pensions will be increased to Rs 3,100 per month."
Explaining that new jobs and opportunities would be created for the youth, and that all new industries would have to employ 75 per cent Punjabi youth, Badal said that all government jobs would be available only to Punjabis.
He also announced that a Rs 10 lakh interest-free loan would be available to the youth, which they could repay over a period of 10 years.
He said that the next SAD government would ensure 50 per cent reservation for students of meritorious schools in government as well as private engineering and medical colleges.