Making the drug menace the centrepiece of the BJP’s Punjab Assembly poll campaign, Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday promised to rid the state of the scourge of “chitta” by December 31, 2029, if the party is voted to power. Addressing his first pre-election rally in Punjab, Shah launched a sharp attack on the AAP government. He alleged that it had allowed the drug problem to worsen, asserting that only the BJP could deliver a “Nasha Mukt Punjab”.Setting a deadline for eliminating the drug trade in the state, Shah said the BJP would fight the upcoming Assembly elections primarily on the issue of narcotics, describing the eradication of “chitta” as the party’s foremost priority. The rally, held in Jalandhar nearly two months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the city, also saw Shah accusing the Bhagwant Mann-led government of failing to act against the drug network and obstructing anti-drug measures.In his 20-minute address, Shah repeatedly urged voters to back the BJP, promising a statewide crackdown on drug traffickers and linking the campaign to the party’s broader national anti-narcotics agenda. The event marked the culmination of the BJP’s 13-day Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra and was preceded by Shah’s meetings with families affected by drug abuse.Shah also trained his guns on AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over their alleged failure to tackle the drug menace in the state. He claimed that Mann had not permitted the opening of a Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) office in Punjab.Shah said, “The BJP will fight the coming election with a drug-free Punjab as its principal poll plank. Support the BJP and we promise to eliminate the menace of chitta by December 31, 2029. No one will give drugs to your children as all those involved in the drug trade will be sent behind bars.”Drawing a contrast between Punjab’s legacy and its present challenges, Shah said the state had long been known for its contribution to the nation’s food security and for the sacrifices of its soldiers. He alleged, however, that the drug problem had proliferated under the AAP government. Referring to the BJP government’s handling of issues such as Kashmir, Left-wing extremism and insurgency in the Northeast, Shah asserted that Punjab’s drug crisis would be the party’s next major battle.“We solved the Kashmir issue, brought an end to Naxalism and eradicated terrorism in the Northeast under the Modi government. Now it is the turn for chitta-mukt Punjab,” he said.Seeking to underscore the BJP’s commitment to combating narcotics, Shah cited seizure figures from the Centre’s anti-drug drive, claiming that drug recoveries under the BJP-led government far exceeded those during the Congress regime.Shah said between 2004 and 2014, when the Congress was in power, about 26 lakh kg of heroin worth around Rs 40,000 crore was seized. In comparison, he said, between 2014 and 2024, the BJP-led government confiscated nearly 1.20 crore kg of heroin valued at about Rs 1.90 lakh crore, which, according to him, reflected the party’s resolve to act against the drug trade.The Home Minister also met families affected by drug abuse before the rally. During his address, he repeatedly asked the crowd whether AAP could be trusted to tackle the drug menace and referred to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, drawing loud responses from supporters.Continuing his attack on CM Mann, Shah said, “The land of warriors, farmers and players, Rangla Punjab, has been coloured by chitta. Press the Lotus button and you will find no one selling drugs here.”Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon, former state presidents Jattvibeil Jakhar and Ashwani Sharma, and senior leaders Tarun Chugh, Manoranjan Kalia, Vijay Sampla, Manpreet Singh Badal, Shwait Malik, Rana Gurmeet Sodhi, Avinash Rai Khanna, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Ravneet Singh Bittu, Preneet Kaur and Sushil Rinku were among those present. Earlier in the day, Shah paid obeisance at Devi Talab Mandir in Jalandhar.The rally witnessed the rare presence of Rajya Sabha MPs who have recently joined the BJP, including Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Vikramjit Sahney, Ashok Mittal and Rajinder Gupta. The event marked Chadha’s first appearance at a BJP programme in Punjab since joining the saffron party.