Punjab Drug Crisis Becomes Major Political Battleground Ahead of 2027 Assembly Election

The four yatras were launched from different parts of Punjab, including Pathankot, Fatehgarh Sahib, Fazilka and Talwandi Sabo. The campaign is scheduled to culminate in Jalandhar on September 30.

Punjab BJP leaders have presented the campaign as an effort to mobilise people against drug abuse and trafficking. The party has also used the campaign to raise questions about the AAP government's handling of the issue.

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal described the BJP's campaign as a social reform programme, while other BJP leaders have connected the issue directly with the upcoming Assembly election (opens in a new tab).

AAP Challenges BJP's Drug Campaign

The BJP campaign has drawn a strong political response from AAP.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has questioned the BJP's record on the drug issue and has referred to the period when the BJP was allied with the Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab between 2007 and 2017.

Mann has also argued that the drug problem cannot be viewed only as a Punjab issue and has raised questions about the wider trafficking network and narcotics seizures at ports outside the state. These statements represent the AAP government's political position.

AAP supporters have also protested against some BJP roadshows in places including Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Fatehgarh Sahib and Ludhiana, adding to tensions between the two parties (opens in a new tab) during the campaign.

SAD Launches Women-Led Anti-Drug Campaign

The Shiromani Akali Dal has also made the drug issue a major part of its political outreach.

The party launched its Mawan Dhiyan Insaaf Yatra from Bathinda, led by SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal. The campaign involves women from families affected by drug addiction and members of the Istri Akali Dal.

The campaign includes protest marches in different constituencies and the submission of memorandums to local administrative officials seeking action against drug supply and support for families affected by addiction.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal has criticised successive governments over the drug problem, while SAD leaders have argued that the seriousness of the issue requires sustained political attention.

The SAD's separate campaign is also significant because political discussions have continued around the future relationship between the BJP and SAD. The two parties ended their long-standing alliance in 2020, and there has been periodic speculation about a possible political realignment ahead of the 2027 election.

Congress Targets Both AAP and BJP

Congress has also made the drug crisis a major part of its criticism of the governments at the state and central levels.

Punjab Congress in-charge Sachin Pilot has criticised the AAP government over the continuing drug problem and has also questioned the BJP-led Centre's response to the wider supply network.

Congress leaders have called for greater attention to cross-border trafficking and the movement of drugs and weapons through routes linked to Punjab's international border.

The Congress position is therefore focused on both the state government's record and the Centre's responsibility for controlling supply routes.

AAP Begins Statewide Election Outreach

The drug debate is taking place alongside AAP's broader campaign preparations for the 2027 Punjab Assembly election.

AAP announced a statewide door-to-door campaign beginning September 20 to reach households across Punjab and present the Bhagwant Mann government's record.

According to AAP's announcement, around 2.68 lakh party workers associated with booth committees would participate in the campaign covering the state's polling booths. The party said the campaign would focus on government schemes and its work in areas including agriculture, youth, education, employment, healthcare, infrastructure, sports and welfare.

Bhagwant Mann has also used the campaign to respond to opposition criticism over drugs, arguing that parties that previously held power should also answer questions about the period when the drug problem expanded.

Drug Issue Becomes Part of 2027 Election Debate

The increasing number of anti-drug campaigns shows how the issue has moved to the centre of Punjab's political discussion ahead of the Assembly election.

The BJP is using its statewide yatra to highlight drug trafficking and criticise the AAP government. The SAD is organising its own women-led campaign focused on families affected by addiction. AAP is defending its record while questioning the BJP-SAD government's past record, and Congress is targeting both the state government and the Centre.

The parties (opens in a new tab) therefore differ in their explanations of the problem and their political messaging, even though the drug crisis itself remains a common subject of concern.

Political Campaigns Increase Ahead of Assembly Election

The drug issue is also being discussed alongside other major election topics, including governance, employment, law and order, agriculture, development and Punjab's relationship with the Centre.

The BJP has said it is preparing to contest all 117 Assembly seats, while AAP has begun its statewide voter outreach. Congress is organising its campaign under collective leadership, and SAD continues its efforts to rebuild its political organisation and regional support.

The competing campaigns indicate that the 2027 Punjab Assembly election is already shaping the political agenda well before polling.

Punjab Politics Enters an Important Election Phase

Punjab's drug crisis has become more than a law-and-order issue in the current political environment. It is now a major subject of public campaigns, political rallies (opens in a new tab) and competing claims by the state's major parties.

The BJP's Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra, the SAD's Mawan Dhiyan Insaaf Yatra, AAP's statewide outreach and Congress's criticism of both the state and central governments have placed the drug issue firmly at the centre of Punjab politics.

As the 2027 Assembly election approaches, the debate is likely to continue around how effectively governments have addressed drug trafficking, addiction, rehabilitation and the wider supply network.

For voters, the competing political claims provide different accounts of the problem and its causes. The parties will also be expected to explain their proposed policies and implementation plans as the election campaign develops.

“Punjab's drug crisis has become a major political battleground ahead of the 2027 Assembly election, with the BJP's Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra, SAD's women-led campaign, AAP's statewide outreach and Congress's criticism putting drugs and trafficking at the centre of the political debate.”

The INDIA bloc has announced a nationwide campaign over concerns related to the Election Commission and electoral processes. The Opposition plans protests, a march to the Election Commission headquarters, and a legal challenge to provisions of the Chief Election Commissioner Act, 2023.

Key Moments from the Uttar Pradesh Mega Rally