The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is launching four statewide anti-drug marches across Punjab beginning Friday, 18 September, with the campaign set to cover all 117 Assembly constituencies and approximately 4,000 km before culminating in a public rally addressed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Jalandhar on 30 September. The initiative, branded the 'Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatras', comes as the state's drug crisis takes centre stage in the political battle ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.

Four Routes, Four Flagoffs

BJP national President Nitin Nabin will flag off the first march on 18 September from Ekta Sthal at Madhopur in Pathankot district. That route will traverse constituencies in Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Kapurthala and Jalandhar.

The second yatra begins on 19 September from Fatehgarh Sahib, flagged off by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta following prayers at Gurdwara Sri Jyoti Saroop Sahib, according to Punjab BJP general secretary and yatra in-charge Rajesh Bagha. It will pass through Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Mohali, Ropar, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr and Phagwara.

The third march departs on 20 September from the Sadiki border in Fazilka, near the Asafwala 1971 War Memorial, with Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal scheduled to flag it off. Its route covers Fazilka, Muktsar, Bathinda, Faridkot, Moga, Ludhiana and Malerkotla.

The fourth and final march sets off on 21 September from Gurdwara Sri Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo, flagged off by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. That corridor covers Bathinda, Mansa, Barnala, Sangrur and Patiala before heading to Jalandhar.

The Jalandhar Rally and Political Backdrop

All four yatras are scheduled to converge in Jalandhar on 30 September, where the BJP will hold a mass public rally addressed by Home Minister Shah. The party has described the campaign as a public-awareness drive against drug abuse, but party leaders have simultaneously raised concerns about law and order and corruption in Punjab as part of broader political messaging.

This comes amid an ongoing war of words between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and opposition parties over the state government's handling of the drug crisis — a politically charged issue in Punjab that has remained unresolved across successive administrations.

Why Punjab's Drug Problem Matters Politically

Punjab has long grappled with one of the country's most acute drug abuse crises, particularly in border districts. The issue has featured prominently in every Punjab election cycle since at least 2017, with successive governments — Congress, AAP, and before them the Shiromani Akali Dal–BJP alliance — each facing accusations of failing to contain it. Critics argue that the problem has structural roots, including proximity to international smuggling corridors, which no single political administration has adequately addressed.

The BJP's decision to mount a 4,000-km, 117-constituency campaign signals a high-investment pre-election push in a state where the party currently holds limited legislative presence but is seeking to rebuild ground ahead of 2027.

What Happens Next

With the four marches running from 18 to 21 September and the Jalandhar rally anchored to Shah's address on 30 September, the next fortnight will test both the BJP's organisational capacity and its ability to sustain public attention on the drug issue. How the AAP-led state government responds — whether through counter-messaging or policy announcements — is likely to shape the narrative going into the election season.