Bengal campaign its model, why Punjab BJP steps up for Nasha Mukti Yatra before polls

State BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon said four yatras would begin simultaneously from four corners of the state — Madhopur in Pathankot, Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district, Anandpur Sahib in Rupnagar district, and Fazilka district. They will take separate routes before converging in Jalandhar, where a senior BJP leader is expected to address a public gathering. Sources said Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to attend the concluding event.

“The date of the Yatra is yet to be finalised, but it will start sometime between September 15 and 20. Four yatras will begin simultaneously from the four corners of Punjab. Following well-defined routes, they will converge in Jalandhar,” Dhillon told The Indian Express.

The Yatra will be organised as a roadshow, with halts at various locations for public meetings and interactions, he said.

The BJP plans to raise issues including law and order, minimum support price (MSP) for farmers and dearness allowance (DA) for government employees. But Dhillon said the drug menace would remain the central theme.

“No doubt, there are issues like gangsterism and law and order as well, but nasha is the topmost issue affecting everyone. Many families are affected because there are addicts in their houses, while many others live in fear that their children may fall prey to drugs because of their easy availability. That is why this Yatra is important,” he said.

The BJP’s focus on drugs has been visible on its social media platforms for several weeks. Party leaders have shared videos purportedly showing young people under the influence of drugs in public places, while questioning the Punjab government’s claims about its Yudh Nasheyan Virudh campaign.

Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh and former Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu are among those who have shared such videos. The AAP government, however, has questioned the authenticity of some of the clips, alleging that they were either fake or not from Punjab.

The Punjab BJP’s official social media handles have also highlighted the issue through videos featuring interactions with villagers and families who have raised concerns about the alleged availability of drugs in their areas.

The proposed Yatra will seek to take this campaign beyond social media. According to party leaders, the BJP plans to travel through both villages and urban areas, hold public rallies and interact with families affected by drug addiction. Several areas identified by the party as drug hotspots could also be part of the Yatra routes.

“As the Parivartan Yatra travelled across the length and breadth of West Bengal in March, the Nasha Mukti Yatra will take us to villages and urban areas across Punjab. We will hold public rallies and interact with affected families. Our entire leadership is currently busy finalising the routes and other arrangements,” Dhillon said.

The BJP is also looking to replicate the organisational scale of its successful Bengal campaign. “You can call it the launch of our poll campaign, although we are already in full poll mode,” Dhillon said.

‘One national leader a day’

The Yatra is expected to show the increased involvement of the BJP central leadership in Punjab, which is slated for the Assembly polls in February 2027.

The party leadership has stepped up its visits to the state in recent months. BJP national president Nitin Nabin visited Punjab in June, followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jalandhar on July 17. BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh visited the state on August 24 and 25, while newly appointed state BJP in-charge Satish Poonia toured the state from August 31 to September 2.

“The Yatra will continue for 15-20 days and every day, a national leader — either a Union minister, Minister of State or someone from the central leadership — will be seen in Punjab,” Dhillon said.

Setting house in order

The BJP’s proposed mobilisation comes amid efforts by the party central leadership to address differences within the state unit.

According to a senior BJP leader, Poonia has asked the state party leaders to resolve internal differences and strengthen the organisation at the grassroots level.

“One clear-cut message from Poonia was to sort out the dissent within the party before the start of the Yatra. He also believes in micro-management of workers right down to the booth level,” the leader said, requesting anonymity.

Dhillon, however, played down reports of dissent. “There is hardly any dissent in the party. Show-cause notices were issued to three or four leaders for indiscipline, but they are our own people and the issues will be resolved soon,” he said.

The BJP’s campaign will unfold alongside the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government’s Yudh Nasheyan Virudh campaign, launched on March 1, 2025. The Mann government has projected the drive as a sustained crackdown on drug trafficking, involving enforcement, seizures, arrests, public participation and de-addiction efforts.

According to the latest government data, between March 1, 2025 and September 3, 2026, the Safe Punjab Helpline received 51,979 tip-offs, which resulted in 25,339 drug-related arrests. During the same period, 59,293 FIRs were registered under the NDPS Act.

The BJP seems to be looking to build a counter-narrative: that despite the government’s claims of arrests and seizures, drugs remain readily available and continue to affect families across the state.

The party had signalled earlier this year that drugs would be a major electoral issue. Addressing a “Badlaav Rally” in Moga on March 14, Amit Shah had said the BJP would eradicate the drug menace in Punjab within two years if voted to power.

“As of now, nasha mukti is the foremost issue. We are seized of the fact that it has affected a sizeable population of Punjab,” Dhillon said.