Tarun Chugh: ‘BJP is contesting all 117 seats in Punjab, it has appeal in both urban, rural areas’

'Punjab has become the capital of three Cs — crime, corruption and chitta (drugs). The AAP government has failed to solve these issues,” says the senior BJP leader

Tarun Chugh, senior BJP leader from Punjab, was recently appointed as the in-charge of the party’s central office in New Delhi. A Rajya Sabha MP, Chugh is also party in-charge of Gujarat.

In an interview with The Indian Express, he speaks on various issues related to the Punjab BJP ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, ranging from the party’s plank and camapign to the possibility of its alliance with erstwhile ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Excerpts:

What are the major issues in Punjab today?

Punjab has become the capital of three Cs — crime, corruption and chitta (drugs). The AAP government has failed to solve these issues.

I recently visited the house of Gulzar Singh, a Dalit man who died by suicide in Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s native district, Sangrur. I was shocked to hear the stories of women living in the lane where Gulzar’s family resides. Three people from their extended families have already died due to drug abuse, while another 21-year-old is addicted. Gulzar’s own son is also addicted, and drugs are freely available, according to the family.

Crime is another major concern. More than 22 grenade attacks have taken place at different locations in Punjab, including one on the BJP headquarters in Chandigarh.

Incidents of firing, robbery and murder in public have become common. Corruption is also deep-rooted, with allegations now even being levelled against the Chief Minister’s wife, something that, according to me, had not happened in the past.

Another C is the “clutches of extortion”. Extortionists are running a parallel economy in the state, and people are quietly paying extortion money to ensure their safety.

Punjab is also in financial distress and heavy debt. The state needs to recover from all these problems. Stories like Gulzar’s can be found in villages across Punjab.

Will the BJP’s Nasha Mukt Yatra beginning September 18 focus on these issues?

Yes. The Nasha Mukt Yatra will begin from Pathankot district on September 18 under the leadership of our national president Nitin Nabin. We will highlight the gravity of the drug problem in Punjab and also raise individual cases such as that of Gulzar Singh.

As I said, there are stories of pain and grief related to drug abuse in almost every village. As the yatra travels through all the Assembly constituencies of Punjab, we expect people to come out and share their experiences and problems with us.

How effective do you expect the yatra to be politically?

Punjab is sitting on a volcano of problems. People are waiting for the BJP to save Punjab because they trust Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his way of working.

Look at Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Between 2004 and 2014, during the UPA rule, these states were popularly described as BIMARU states. Today, they have made progress under BJP governments and NDA rule at the Centre. We believe the same change can happen in Punjab and that the BJP can provide an answer to the problems of the masses.

You have been given the charge of Gujarat. Don’t you think Punjab needs you more now?

I will coordinate in both states. Being a Punjabi and coming from Amritsar, I cannot be the in-charge of my home state. But I will always be here with my brothers and sisters whenever they need me.

How do you view the 2027 Punjab elections?

The BJP will form the government in Punjab. We are preparing to contest all 117 Assembly seats. People are waiting for the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct so that they can bring the BJP to power.

But given the BJP’s past electoral performance in Punjab, do you think it can form a government without an alliance?

Yes, absolutely. Who would have thought that the AAP would come to power with such a landslide victory in 2022? People trusted the party at that time, believing that it would resolve the issues they were facing. Now, people feel betrayed.

There is a buzz over the BJP’s possible patch-up with the SAD. What is the situation?

I worked for many years in that alliance. But the BJP is now preparing to contest all 117 seats independently. Acceptability of BJP can be seen in rural as well as urban areas of Punjab now.

The way political fortunes changed in all BJP-ruled states, we believe a similar change can happen in Punjab as well.