Punjab voters recall 2007‑2017 gangster surge as BJP seeks tie‑up with Akali Dal

In a candid interview, AAP’s Baltej Pannu highlighted the stark contrast between the promised development narrative of the BJP and the reality of Punjab’s past under a BJP‑Akali coalition. He referred to the years 2007 to 2017 as a period when gangsterism flourished, drug trade expanded, and legitimate businesses were overtaken by criminal elements. Pannu asserted that the people of Punjab still remember those hardships and will not accept a repeat of that governance model. He also criticized the Akali Dal’s current attempts to protect its familial reputation rather than restoring its political integrity.