Moga (Punjab), March 14 – In a major display of strength in Moga, Punjab, Union Home Minister Amit Shah appealed to the people of the state to give the BJP one chance to serve them.
Wearing a turban, Home Minister Shah, who arrived at Killi Chalan village near here for the party's 'Badlav Rally' to signal the upcoming elections, said that many chances had been given to the Congress, the Akalis, and AAP, and "if you give the BJP one chance, it will bring about change in Punjab."
A close confidant of Shah stated that the party received 19 per cent of the votes in the 2024 elections, which clearly indicates that the BJP should also form the next government in Punjab. He indicated that the BJP will contest the next Assembly elections independently in Punjab.
Saying that the people are fed up with the corruption and misgovernance of the AAP government and are seeking change, the Home Minister said that the BJP would form the government in Punjab, following the example of Odisha, Assam, Manipur, Tripura, and Uttarakhand.
"Now it is Punjab's turn," he said. "The Aam Aadmi Party came to power promising change, but I want to ask the leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party – what is your Chief Minister doing? Whenever Arvind Kejriwal has to travel across the country, he uses the Punjab government's resources, while the Chief Minister here has done nothing else," he alleged.
Shah said that the AAP had promised 25 lakh jobs, a drug-free Punjab, and a minimum support price (MSP) for all crops, but failed on all counts. "This is a government of broken promises, rife with corruption, and indulging in scams. It can never do any good for Punjab," he said.
He further alleged that the Punjab government had become an "ATM" for Arvind Kejriwal. "If anyone can stop the drug trade, it is only the BJP," he said.
Beginning his address with religious and patriotic slogans, Shah paid tributes to Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, on his 350th martyrdom anniversary. He said that the BJP always approaches the people of Punjab as "younger brothers" and seeks their blessings.
Stating that the BJP would contest the 2027 elections to form the government, Shah appealed to mothers, sisters, and elders to strengthen the party. "If anyone can free Punjab from drugs and provide employment to the youth, it is only Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP," he said.
Citing the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and the decline of Naxalism, Shah said that a "double-engine government" was needed in Punjab to eliminate drugs and ensure development.