Dailyworld | Chandigarh

The arrest of senior Akali leader and former Punjab Minister Bikram Singh Majithia has once again thrown Punjab’s political cauldron into full boil. At the core of this development lies not just a battle against alleged drug syndicates or the question of Majithia’s personal culpability, but a larger, more seismic churn in Punjab’s political landscape that is likely to dominate the narrative till the 2027 Assembly elections.

For months, whispers in political corridors pointed toward the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government preparing to tighten the noose around Majithia, who has long been accused of patronage and proximity to the drug mafia. These accusations, originating as far back as the early 2010s, gained prominence when a former DSP and notorious druglord Jagdish Bhola named Majithia during the Akali-BJP government’s tenure. That the arrest by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) in a Disproportionate Assets (DA) case was coming was no secret. What has taken many by surprise is the political realignment and sharp reactions it has triggered.

Interestingly, for the first time in years, BJP and Congress leaders—including Sunil Jakhar and Pratap Singh Bajwa—have taken a line somewhat sympathetic to Majithia. This has less to do with the man and more to do with politics. For the BJP, Majithia represents a possible rallying point in Punjab. Having tested splinter Akali faction leaders like Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Bibi Jagir Kaur, and Sikander Singh Malooka, the saffron party may have realised that breaking the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is not viable. Instead, realpolitik may require reconciliation.

It is within this context that Majithia’s arrest is being viewed not as a culmination, but as a new beginning. AAP will undoubtedly try to project this as a bold crackdown on Punjab’s drug network—a tough message that no one, not even the “big fish”, will be spared. But for SAD, this arrest is tailor-made to play the victim card.

Beyond legalities, Punjab is not Delhi —people are indifference towards state politics and politicians. Punjab remembers, reacts, and most importantly, connects emotionally with its leaders. With Captain Amarinder Singh retiring from active politics and the patriarch Prakash Singh Badal no longer on the stage, there is a leadership vacuum in traditional parties. The void is waiting to be filled, and in the battle to claim that space, Majithia’s political revival—or demise—will be a key pivot.

On the other hand, the BJP sees in Punjab a similar opportunity it saw in Jammu and Kashmir. With Punjab too sharing an international boundary, the BJP is eager to strengthen its nationalist narrative, especially by cornering AAP as ‘soft on separatism’ and ‘inexperienced’ in governance. The saffron party cannot, ideologically or electorally, tie up with Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP or Rahul Gandhi’s Congress in Punjab. That leaves it with SAD—bruised but not broken.

This, in fact, explains the recent softening of tones between Sukhbir Singh Badal and BJP leaders. While Badal continues to battle a credibility crisis, Punjabi voters are not without forgiveness. They have historically shown willingness to give leaders a second chance, if the leader displays humility and a clear shift in governance style.

However, AAP is not without its ammunition. With Bhagwant Mann often invoking the ‘fight against drug lords’, Majithia’s arrest offers a high-impact narrative. AAP will go to the voters in 2027 claiming it dared to do what Congress and SAD governments hesitated to—cleanse Punjab’s system of its most powerful untouchables. Whether the voters buy into this message, or see it as a convenient political stunt, remains to be seen.

At a larger level, Punjab stands at a crossroads once again. Between the fading legacies of old warhorses and the untested promises of new players, the state must choose between continuity and change, retribution and reform. What’s clear, however, is that Majithia’s arrest will not just define the fate of one man or one party—but shape the direction of Punjab’s politics for years to come.

As 2027 draws closer, the state will witness more arrests, more inquiries, and perhaps even more alliances reshaped in the backrooms. But ultimately, it will be the people of Punjab, emotional and politically astute as they are, who will decide whose narrative holds ground and whose truth prevails.