Union Home Minister Amit Shah will address his maiden “Badlav Rally” in Punjab at Killi Chahlan village in Moga district on Saturday, a move seen as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s attempt to sharpen its political pitch ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections in the state.
Shah is scheduled to remain at the venue for about 75 minutes but the rally is expected to carry strong political messaging. Party leaders say the Home Minister is likely to announce several initiatives and make promises aimed at women, farmers and the common man. He is also expected to launch a sharp attack on the AAP government led by Bhagwant Mann over the drug menace, deteriorating law and order and what the BJP describes as “remote control governance” by AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal from Delhi.
The scale of preparations reflects the importance the party has attached to the rally. Arrangements have been made for langar for nearly one lakh people, while a massive stage has been set up to accommodate around 80 leaders. Seating arrangements have also been made for about 250 members of the media. Party sources said supporters are being mobilised from across the state, with around 30 buses expected to arrive from each of Punjab’s 117 Assembly constituencies.
Senior BJP leaders held a meeting at the rally venue on Friday to finalise the list of speakers and key issues to be raised during the event. Nearly 83 acres have reportedly been earmarked for the rally venue as the state BJP unit works to ensure a large turnout. The party has projected the rally as a major political show aimed at challenging the ruling AAP ahead of the next Assembly election.
Within party circles, attention is also focused on the finer details of the event. There is curiosity over whether Shah will arrive wearing a turban or be presented with one on the stage, and whether he will address the gathering partly in Punjabi. Such gestures are often viewed as politically significant in Punjab.
The sequence of speakers at the rally has also drawn interest. According to party sources, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar will be the final speaker before Shah takes the stage and will set the tone for the Home Minister’s address.
Before Jakhar, former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, former state BJP chief Ashwani Sharma and Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu are expected to speak in that order. Patiala MP Preneet Kaur is also likely to address the gathering, representing women leaders on the stage.
During his speech, Shah is expected to touch upon several issues that have long dominated Punjab’s political discourse, including the state’s share in river waters, the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal dispute, the demand for transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab, unemployment and concerns over law and order. Jakhar is supervising the overall arrangements for the rally, while senior leader Anil Sarin has been appointed as the rally in charge.
Killi Chahlan factor
The selection of Killi Chahlan as the venue carries political symbolism. The small village in Moga tehsil, which had a population of 1,452 according to the 2011 Census, has suddenly emerged as a focal point of Punjab’s political contest ahead of the 2027 elections.
Just a month ago, the ruling AAP organised a large anti drug rally at the same location where Kejriwal and Mann jointly highlighted the party’s campaign against drugs as a key achievement of the government. By holding its Badlav Rally at the same venue, the BJP appears to be mounting a direct political counter to the ruling party’s show of strength. The rally is expected to serve as the BJP’s opening salvo in its campaign to expand its political footprint in Punjab.