Former Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur on Thursday joined the BJP’s Nasha Mukti Yatra in Nangal town of Ropar district and launched a sharp attack on the AAP government, alleging that Punjab had slipped from being a progressive state to a regressive one under its rule.Addressing an impressive rally in the Adda Market area of Nangal, Thakur alleged that drugs had reached every nook and corner of Punjab and were now also finding their way into Himachal Pradesh’s border areas. “Drugs were the biggest problem being faced by Punjab and there was no bigger issue that it. When I was CM of Himachal, a joint task force of Punjab, Himachal, Haryana and Uttarakhand was formed to tackle the problem,” he said.He said the BJP was capable of putting Punjab back on the path of progress and restoring the state’s former glory.The rally in Nangal was spearheaded by BJP state vice-president Subhash Sharma, who has been actively working in the Anandpur Sahib Assembly constituency and is seeking the party ticket from the seat. Sharma said that the AAP government was trying the scuttle BJP Nasha Mukti rally. BJP workers are not afraid of black flags being shown to us, he said.Sharma alleged that synthetic drugs, commonly referred to as chitta, continued to be sold in Punjab despite the AAP Government’s claims of action against the drug menace. He said the BJP, if voted to power, would launch a strong crackdown on drug peddling.He also sought to make the issue of Punjab’s finances a major political plank, alleging that the AAP Government had pushed the state towards bankruptcy and that its financial position was making it difficult to meet salary commitments.Ashwani Sharma former state president of BJP said that Punjab could return to the path of development with the support of the Narendra Modi-led Union Government.The Nangal rally also turned into a display of competing political ambitions within the BJP. With Assembly elections approaching, several party leaders and their supporters sought to demonstrate their organisational strength in the constituency.Banners and posters of different leaders dominated parts of the rally venue, while supporters raised slogans in their favour. The show of strength assumes significance in Anandpur Sahib, where several BJP leaders are interested in securing the party nomination.Former Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma and former Rajya Sabha member Avinash Rai Khanna were among the prominent party leaders who attended the programme.The BJP’s Nasha Mukti Yatra is turning into an exercise for mobilisation of party cadres ahead of the Assembly elections. While senior leaders focused their attacks on the AAP Government, the gathering also offered aspirants in Anandpur Sahib an opportunity to project their support base before the party leadership.The rally marked another step in the BJP’s efforts to expand its political presence in the Anandpur Sahib where it once had significant presence.