New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday campaigned for BJP candidate Shree Harjeet Singh Sandhu in the Tarn Taran Assembly bypoll in Punjab, launching a scathing attack on AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal for the state’s rising debt, drug menace, and deteriorating law and order.

Calls Punjab’s Decline a Result of AAP’s Failed Governance

Addressing a large public rally, CM Gupta said that Punjab, once known as the country’s breadbasket, is now battling rampant crime, drug addiction, and economic distress.

“Every household is affected by drugs. Mothers’ eyes are filled with tears, and the youth’s future is darkening,” she said, blaming Kejriwal’s “failed promises” of a war against drugs.

She questioned why the state has fallen into massive debt and accused the AAP government of shielding corrupt systems instead of reforming them.

Highlights BJP’s Development Model

Gupta contrasted Punjab’s condition with the “development-oriented governance” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asserting that the by-election is not just about one seat but about Punjab’s future direction.

She highlighted the Modi government’s welfare policies and cited Delhi’s progress under BJP’s initiatives as examples of effective governance.

Connects with Devotees and Local Communities

Before addressing the rally, CM Gupta offered prayers at Darbar Sahib in Tarn Taran, seeking peace and prosperity for Punjab. She also visited Thakurdwara Temple, accompanied by Delhi Cabinet Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, and interacted with devotees.

Gupta accused the Kejriwal-led government of introducing exploitative schemes like “Land Pooling” to grab people’s land and later selling public property for profit.

“When no new roads, bridges, or colleges have been built, where has all the money gone?” she asked.

She alleged that the funds were wasted on “hooliganism, corruption, and the luxurious lifestyles of selfish leaders.

Questions Kejriwal’s Control Over Punjab Government

Gupta also claimed that major decisions in Punjab were dictated by leaders sitting in Delhi.

“Who truly holds the authority of Punjab’s Chief Minister? What is Kejriwal’s connection with Punjab? He turns government bungalows into ‘Sheeshmahals’ just as he did in Delhi, using public money,” she said.

The Tarn Taran bypoll, scheduled for November 11, has become a key political battle for all major parties in Punjab ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.