Modi in Punjab: Green Turban, AAP Attack, and a Political Reset

By MANISH ANAND

In his first Punjab visit in over a year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi combined symbolism with a sharp political attack on the Aam Aadmi Party as the BJP seeks to expand its footprint in a state where it has struggled electorally.

New Delhi, July 17, 2026 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi sported a green turban in his first outing in Punjab in months. The message was direct, to the farmers of Punjab, who had been at the loggerheads with the Modi government for more than a year recently. In Jalandhar, Modi raised the political heat on the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), while also blowing the poll bugle for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Punjab has so far frustrated Modi and the BJP. Unlike other regions, Punjab has ducked the Modi wave. The BJP after having tried almost many permutation and combination failed to stir the emotions of the people to support the BJP.

Modi had last visited Punjab on May 24 in 2025, making Friday’s rally his first visit to the state in nearly 14 months. The Prime Minister had inaugurated the redeveloped precincts of the Golden Temple. Modi had rarely been visiting Punjab. Since 2021, the Prime Minister has visited Punjab on only four occasions, which includes his Friday rally in Jalandhar.

In his address, the Prime Minister took jibe at the AAP. “They (the AAP) had the arrogance to claim that they will change the national politics. But three days ago, one of their leaders was convicted by a Delhi court. Their leaders even refuse to accept the court rulings,” said Modi.

The Prime Minister played the development card in his Punjab outing. “The BJP alone can develop Punjab,” said Modi in his speech.

The BJP is known to have a strong base in the Jalandhar West Assembly seat. But the AAP had recently won the byelections despite a major attempt by the BJP to show its presence.  

With Punjab refusing to replenish the election victory cupboard of the BJP till now, the saffron outfit is hoping that an anti-incumbency against the AAP and faction-fighting in the ranks of the Congress will help the party gain strength. Yet the BJP remains on the margins of the state politics, for largely being seen as a Hindu outfit.

The BJP leaders lately have been arguing that the Jatt Sikh votes in Punjab had disproportionate influence in the outcome of the state elections. They argue that the Jatt Sikh vote constitutes just about 20 per cent of the total electorate in Punjab. The Hindu vote base on the other hand is about 39 per cent.

But the BJP’s discomfiture lies in the fact that the 39 per cent Hindu vote base is largely fragmented, with Dalit voters mostly alternating between the Congress and the AAP, and also the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The traders’ community, however, remains a strong support base of the BJP.

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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