Punjab Election 2027: BJP’s Nasha Mukt Yatra Brings Drug Issue to Centre of Election Campaign | Indian Rajneeti
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Punjab Election 2027: BJP’s Nasha Mukt Yatra Brings Drug Issue to Centre of Election Campaign
Haripriya 23 Sept 2026 5 min read 116 views
Chandigarh, September 23, 2026: The political campaign for the Punjab Assembly Election 2027 is gaining momentum, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) taking its anti-drug campaign across the state through the “Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra.”
The 13-day campaign, which began on September 18, consists of four parallel yatras covering nearly 4,000 kilometres and all 117 Assembly constituencies. The campaign is scheduled to culminate in Jalandhar on September 30. BJP national president Nitin Nabin launched the first leg of the campaign from Madhopur in Pathankot. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to address the concluding programme in Jalandhar.
The campaign puts Punjab's drug problem at the centre of the BJP's [election](https://indianrajneeti.com/elections) messaging while also giving the party an opportunity to expand its political and organisational outreach ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls.
Maharashtra's decision to declare 265 talukas drought-affected has triggered questions from both ruling alliance leaders and the Opposition. While some areas represented by Mahayuti leaders have been excluded, the MVA has questioned the transparency of the assessment process.
The BJP's campaign is being conducted through four simultaneous routes beginning from different parts of the state — Pathankot, Fatehgarh Sahib, Fazilka and Talwandi Sabo.
Together, the four yatras are planned to travel approximately 4,000 kilometres and reach all 117 Assembly constituencies before converging in Jalandhar. The campaign includes public meetings and outreach activities focused on drug abuse and its impact on families and young people.
The BJP has also involved senior leaders in the campaign, making the yatra both an anti-drug awareness programme and a major statewide political outreach exercise.
Drug Issue Takes Centre Stage in Punjab Politics
The drug problem has become one of the prominent issues in the emerging Punjab election campaign.
The BJP has accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of failing to adequately address drug trafficking and addiction. BJP leaders have used the yatra to demand stronger action against trafficking networks and greater attention to rehabilitation and prevention.
The party has also sought to connect the drug issue with education, employment and opportunities for young people. At the launch of the campaign, Nitin Nabin spoke about the need for action against traffickers, disruption of supply chains, confiscation of properties linked to drug money, medical and psychological rehabilitation and wider community participation.
Families affected by drug addiction have also been part of the campaign's messaging, with the BJP seeking to highlight the social and personal impact of substance abuse rather than treating it only as an electoral issue.
AAP-BJP Political Exchange Intensifies
The BJP's campaign has triggered a fresh political confrontation with the ruling AAP.
BJP leaders have criticised the Mann government over its handling of the drug problem and have referred to what they describe as missed targets and deadlines.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP leaders, in response, have questioned the BJP's record during its earlier alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), particularly during the 2007-2017 period. The BJP and AAP therefore present competing accounts of responsibility for Punjab's drug problem.
These competing claims are now becoming part of the broader election debate as both sides prepare for the 2027 Assembly contest.
BJP's Larger Challenge in Punjab
The Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra is also significant because the BJP is attempting to expand its organisation across Punjab.
For many years, the BJP contested Punjab elections as the junior partner of the Shiromani Akali Dal. That arrangement ended after the alliance broke down in 2020. The BJP has since indicated that it is preparing to contest all 117 Assembly seats independently.
The party's performance in recent elections has increased attention on its independent strategy. According to the NDTV analysis provided, the BJP contested 73 seats in the 2022 Punjab Assembly election, won two and received around 6.6% of the statewide vote. In the 2024 [Lok Sabha](https://indianrajneeti.com/loksabha) election, when it contested all 13 parliamentary constituencies independently, its vote share rose to around 18.5%, although it did not win a parliamentary seat.
The difference between parliamentary and Assembly elections means that the BJP's challenge is not only about increasing its vote share but also about developing constituency-level organisation, candidates and booth networks across the state.
Rural Punjab Remains Important
Punjab's political landscape includes a strong rural and agricultural component, making outreach beyond the state's major cities important for every party competing in the Assembly election.
The BJP has been highlighting issues including farmers' welfare, agriculture, industrial development, employment and the drug crisis as part of its wider political messaging.
The Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra gives the party an opportunity to reach villages and smaller towns directly while building contacts with local workers and supporters.
Drug Policy Goes Beyond Election Campaigns
Punjab's drug problem involves several areas of public policy, including policing, trafficking, border security, healthcare, rehabilitation, education and employment.
The BJP's campaign has focused heavily on enforcement and prevention, while the wider policy debate also includes questions about rehabilitation and long-term support for people recovering from addiction.
The political debate therefore extends beyond which party makes stronger promises. Key questions include how effectively trafficking networks can be disrupted, how rehabilitation programmes perform, and what support is available to people after treatment.
Punjab Election Campaign Enters a More Active Phase
The BJP's yatra comes as other [political parties](https://indianrajneeti.com/parties) are also increasing their election activities.
The AAP has launched its own statewide voter outreach campaign and is highlighting its record in government. The Congress and SAD are also preparing their organisational strategies ahead of the Assembly election.
The BJP's decision to take the drug issue directly to voters shows how statewide yatras, public meetings and constituency-level outreach are becoming increasingly important features of the 2027 Punjab election campaign.
What to Watch Ahead of Punjab [Election](https://indianrajneeti.com/elections) 2027
The BJP's Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra will conclude in Jalandhar on September 30, but its political significance will extend beyond the final rally.
The coming months will show whether the campaign leads to a sustained BJP organisational presence across Punjab's constituencies. The party's stated plan to contest all 117 seats means it will need candidates and local-level organisation across the state.
At the same time, the drug issue is likely to remain part of the wider election debate alongside agriculture, farmers, employment, industry, development, law and order and governance.
With the 2027 Assembly election approaching, Punjab is entering a more active phase of political mobilisation, with parties increasingly taking their campaigns directly to voters across the state.
“Political observers say the BJP's Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra should be viewed as both an anti-drug campaign and an effort to strengthen the party's grassroots presence ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly election.”
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.
Discussions between Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) have intensified, with reports suggesting alliance talks and possible Cabinet representation. However, no official announcement has been made by either party.
With the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election approaching in 2027, the Samajwadi Party and Congress are working to strengthen their alliance after their improved performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Political observers believe the opposition has an important opportunity, but unity and effective seat-sharing will be crucial.
