The Home Minister’s speech suggests the BJP is preparing to contest the 2027 Assembly elections independently rather than revive its old alliance politics.
WHEN UNION HOME Minister Amit Shah addressed the BJP’s “Badlaav Rally” in Moga, the speech carried a political message far more significant than routine campaign rhetoric.
Beyond attacks on the Aam Aadmi Party government and criticism of the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal, the speech signalled something fundamental: the BJP is preparing to contest Punjab politics on its own strength and replace the traditional players rather than depend on them.
For decades, the BJP functioned largely as a junior partner in Punjab, aligned with the Shiromani Akali Dal. That political arrangement collapsed after the farmers’ agitation and the repeal of the farm laws. Since then, the party has been searching for a new strategy in the state.
The Moga rally suggests that strategy has now taken shape.
“You Have Tried Everyone — Now Try BJP”
At the centre of Shah’s speech was a direct political appeal to voters.
He told the gathering that Punjab has already given opportunities to every major political party — the Akali Dal, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party. Each of them has ruled the state at different times.
Shah suggested that Punjab had become an “ATM for Kejriwal.
Yet, he argued, the state continues to struggle with serious problems, particularly the drug menace and law-and-order challenges.
Therefore, Shah urged the people of Punjab to give the BJP a chance in the 2027 Assembly elections.
This formulation was politically telling. By placing the Akali Dal, Congress and AAP together in the same bracket of failed governments, Shah implicitly indicated that the BJP does not see itself returning to the old alliance structure.
Instead, the party is attempting to present itself as an alternative to the entire existing political establishment in Punjab.
Drugs as the Central Political Charge
The most prominent theme of Shah’s speech was the drug crisis, an issue that has long haunted Punjab’s politics.
He alleged that around 45 per cent of India’s drug trade is linked to Punjab and blamed successive governments for allowing the problem to grow.
Amit Shah addressing BJP rally in Moga
According to Shah, the Akali Dal, the Congress and the AAP government all share responsibility for the crisis because each ruled the state but failed to eliminate drug networks.
The political logic of the argument was clear.
If three different governments have ruled Punjab and the problem still persists, then voters should now consider a completely different political option.
That option, Shah suggested, is the BJP.
The party is thus attempting to frame the drug crisis not merely as a governance failure but as an indictment of the entire political class that has governed Punjab over the past two decades.
Attacking the AAP Government
Shah also launched a sharp attack on the government led by Bhagwant Mann.
He described the state government as remote-controlled from Delhi, arguing that Mann was merely implementing the directions of Arvind Kejriwal.
In one of his sharpest lines, Shah suggested that Punjab had become an “ATM for Kejriwal”.
“Shah cited Assam, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Manipur as examples where the BJP formed governments after its vote share crossed about 19%. Now, he claimed, it is Punjab’s turn.”
He cited incidents such as the murder of sarpanches, attacks on police stations and the activities of gangster networks to argue that law and order had deteriorated under the current government.
The rhetorical flourish that Punjab needs “an administrator, not a comedian” was another pointed attack on the Chief Minister.
The 19% Formula
Perhaps the most revealing part of Shah’s speech was his explanation of the BJP’s electoral strategy.
Amit Shah with party leaders during the BJP’s Badlaav Rally in Moga.
He argued that in many states the party initially began with modest vote shares but eventually replaced established political forces.
According to Shah, wherever the BJP’s vote share crosses around 19 per cent, the party eventually forms the government.
To support this claim, he cited examples of states such as Assam, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Manipur.
The underlying message to party workers and voters alike was clear: Punjab may appear difficult terrain today, but political expansion often begins with small footholds.
If the BJP can expand its vote share even modestly, the political balance in the state could change rapidly.
A Broader National Narrative
Shah’s speech also linked Punjab’s politics to the broader national narrative promoted by the BJP.
He highlighted the Modi government’s decision to abrogate Article 370, claiming it strengthened national security.
He said Naxalism in India is now nearly eliminated, projecting the BJP as a government capable of tackling major security challenges.
At the same time, he promised that if the BJP forms the government in Punjab it will introduce legislation to stop religious conversions.
This combination of governance issues, national security themes and cultural politics reflects the party’s familiar political template across the country.
Outreach to the Sikh Community
Alongside political attacks, Shah devoted considerable attention to Sikh heritage and religious history.
He paid rich tributes to Guru Tegh Bahadur and highlighted national commemorations of the 350th anniversary of his martyrdom.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses the BJP rally in Moga.
He also referred to the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, and the institution of Veer Bal Diwas.
He urged people to spread the message of the Sikh Gurus across the nation.
Shah also listed decisions taken by the Modi government, including the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor, the removal of GST on langar supplies, and granting citizenship to Sikhs who came from Afghanistan.
These references reflect the BJP’s effort to expand its acceptance among Sikh voters, a constituency where the party historically has limited influence.
Revisiting Historical Grievances
Shah also attacked Congress by invoking historical episodes.
He referred to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, saying the perpetrators have been punished. He criticised the statement attributed to Rajiv Gandhi that “when a big tree falls, the earth shakes”.
He also accused Congress of dividing Hindus and Sikhs and referred to the deployment of tanks at the Akal Takht during Operation Blue Star.
The Strategic Shift
Seen in its entirety, the Moga speech was less about a single rally and more about a strategic repositioning of the BJP in Punjab politics.
The message from Moga was unmistakable: the BJP is preparing to contest Punjab politics on its own terms.
By attacking AAP, Congress and the Akali Dal simultaneously, Shah signalled that the BJP no longer sees itself merely as a supporting player in the state’s political landscape.
Instead, it is attempting to build a narrative in which all existing parties represent the past and the BJP represents the future.
Whether that proposition resonates with Punjab’s voters remains uncertain. The state’s political culture is deeply regional and shaped by complex social and agrarian dynamics.
Yet the message from Moga was unmistakable.
After decades of operating on the margins of Punjab’s politics, the BJP is preparing to fight for power in the state on its own terms. 
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Gurpartap Singh Mann
With prior experience as a Member of the Punjab Public Service Commission, the author brings a nuanced perspective to issues of governance and social change.
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