CM Dhami joins Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra, targets AAP on drug crisis
Synopsis
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami joined the Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra rally in Hoshiarpur on September 26, 2026, accusing AAP of betraying Punjab voters by failing to tackle the state's deep-rooted drug crisis — a promise that anchored the party's 2022 election sweep.
Key Takeaways
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami addressed a large rally at Hoshiarpur Rural (Mukerian), Punjab on September 26, 2026 .
The event was held under the Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra , a series of rallies spotlighting Punjab's drug menace.
Dhami accused the Aam Aadmi Party of betraying the public trust placed in it during the 2022 Punjab assembly elections .
AAP had made drug eradication a central election promise in 2022 when it won a sweeping mandate in the state.
BJP leaders from outside Punjab have been participating in state-level campaigns to build a political narrative against AAP ahead of the 2027 assembly elections .
No official response from the Punjab government to the rally's charges had been issued at the time of reporting.
While Punjab's drug menace has haunted families for over a decade, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stepped into the heart of the crisis on Saturday, September 26, 2026 — addressing a massive rally at Hoshiarpur Rural (Mukerian), Punjab under the Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra (Drug-Free Punjab March), and turning up the political heat on the ruling Aam Aadmi Party.
In his address, CM Dhami said directly: 'The trust with which the people of Punjab handed power to Aam Aadmi Party has been betrayed. Today, the drug problem in the state has become a matter of grave concern. Punjab's youth are ruining their future in the grip of addiction, and with them, the years of toil of parents and their dreams of a bright future for their children are also shattered.'
AAP's broken 2022 promise under the spotlight
When the Aam Aadmi Party swept Punjab's 2022 assembly elections, the elimination of the drug menace was among its most prominent campaign pledges — a promise that resonated with voters exhausted by years of addiction-linked violence, crime, and family devastation across the state. That promise now forms the sharpest edge of the opposition's attack. Could there be a more potent political weapon than an unmet vow to save the youth?
Punjab has carried the weight of a documented drug crisis for well over a decade, cutting across governments of different parties. The human cost — young lives derailed, households broken, parents who saved for decades watching their children slip away — is not a statistic. It is a daily reality in villages across Hoshiarpur, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and beyond. CM Dhami gave that reality a political voice on Saturday.
BJP's cross-state strategy ahead of 2027
Dhami's appearance in Punjab is not an isolated gesture. BJP leaders from states outside Punjab have periodically stepped into the state to spotlight perceived governance failures by the AAP administration — part of a deliberate pattern of cross-state opposition pressure on social issues. With Punjab's 2027 assembly elections on the horizon, the Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra rallies serve a dual purpose: genuine public awareness on addiction, and a sustained political narrative that AAP has under-delivered on its most emotive promise.
The Punjab government has not yet publicly responded to the rally or to the specific charges levelled at the event. How Bhagwant Mann's administration responds — either with a counter-narrative on drug enforcement data or with fresh policy announcements — will signal how seriously it views the ground-level momentum this yatra is building.
One thing is clear: in Punjab's politics, the drug issue is not a footnote. It is the front page. And with nearly a year to go before the election cycle heats up, the battle for Punjab's youth is already under way.
Point of View
The narrative gap could widen significantly by the time election season arrives.
NationPress
26 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra?
The Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra is a series of political rallies and awareness events being held across Punjab districts to highlight the state's drug abuse problem and hold the ruling AAP government accountable for its 2022 election promise to eliminate the drug menace.
Why did Uttarakhand CM Dhami attend a rally in Punjab?
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami joined the Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra rally in Hoshiarpur to amplify BJP's opposition criticism that the AAP government has failed to address Punjab's drug crisis, a pattern of cross-state BJP participation in Punjab campaigns aimed at building pressure ahead of the 2027 elections.
What did AAP promise about drugs in Punjab's 2022 elections?
The Aam Aadmi Party made the elimination of Punjab's drug problem a central plank of its 2022 assembly election campaign, a promise that helped it win a historic mandate. Opposition leaders now argue that pledge has not been fulfilled.
What is the drug situation in Punjab?
Punjab has faced a documented drug addiction crisis among its youth for well over a decade, spanning multiple state governments. The problem affects families across districts including Hoshiarpur, Amritsar, and Gurdaspur, and remains a major public health and social concern.
When are the next Punjab assembly elections?
The next Punjab assembly elections are expected in 2027 . Political activity around issues like the drug crisis is already intensifying as parties position themselves for that electoral contest.
