The border closures have devastated commerce, Badal noted, leaving local businesses in dire straits. He envisioned Amritsar emerging as a global trade gateway through fruit, vegetable, and commodity exports via these routes, promising widespread prosperity.

Badal lambasted national parties for neglecting Punjab. ‘Congress, AAP, and BJP are Delhi puppets chasing power, not progress,’ he charged. He grilled their governance track records, reminiscing about SAD’s legacy of transformative projects: free farm power, advanced irrigation networks, highways, aviation hubs, markets, power plants, and social initiatives like affordable rations, pensions, and marriage grants.

To counter industrial flight, SAD proposes a border-specific industrial hub with lucrative incentives. This strategy aims to revitalize the economy, create jobs, and anchor growth in Punjab’s frontier districts.

Amid accusations of political vendettas against him, Badal stood firm, calling on voters to choose SAD for genuine regional advocacy. As Punjab gears up for future battles, Badal’s vision positions economic revival at the heart of the Akali narrative, potentially swaying border constituencies hungry for opportunity.