Ludhiana:Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday announced that the Punjab government would launch a full-scale campaign against gangsters on the lines of the ongoing Yudh Nashean Virudh, asserting that all gangsters and their networks in the state would be eliminated.

Addressing newly elected Zila Parishad and Block Samiti members here, Kejriwal said Punjab had decisively broken away from the era of fear, goondagardi and manipulated elections, claiming that the state had witnessed the cleanest local body elections in its history. “Not even a single vote was shifted,” he said, citing AAP’s victory in over 70 per cent of the seats in the Panchayat polls as a mandate for clean politics and honest governance.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said that pro-people governance had compelled traditional political parties to rewrite their manifestos, with education, health and electricity now forming the core of political discourse. He said AAP would further strengthen its model of public participation, honesty and development across Punjab.

‘Sri Akal Takht Sahib supreme’

On the issue related to Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Mann said he would appear before the Takht as a humble Sikh and requested that the proceedings be telecast live. “I will appear there not as a Chief Minister, but as a devout Sikh. Sri Akal Takht Sahib is above everything for me. Any order received from there will be obeyed in true letter and spirit,” he said, adding that its command would always remain supreme for him and his family.

Clean elections, end to fear

Congratulating the elected representatives, Kejriwal said Panchayat elections in the past were often marked by coercion and manipulation. “Despite elections being held four years after our government was formed, there was no coercion this time. Candidates won and lost by narrow margins, including by a single vote in some places. This shows how free and fair the process was,” he said.

He added that AAP had not come into politics for coercion or corruption. “We came to change politics, to clean politics, and to end goondaism,” Kejriwal said, asserting that the culture of false cases and fear that prevailed during Congress and Akali Dal regimes had been ended.

Governance, welfare measures

Listing achievements of the AAP government, Kejriwal said salaries were now being paid on time, electricity bills had been reduced to zero for many households, and old electricity dues had been waived. “This mandate is a vote for honesty and good governance,” he said.

He said the government had stabilised Punjab’s finances and was delivering results despite inheriting a debt-ridden state. Referring to employment generation, Kejriwal said 60,000 government jobs had been provided purely on merit, without bribery or recommendations.

On infrastructure, he said nearly 19,000 km of village roads were being constructed, while work was underway on 42,000 km of the state’s total 64,000 km road network, with completion expected within six months. He also spoke about pilgrimage tours being organised from villages to religious and national sites.

Fight against drugs and gangsters

Kejriwal said the war against drugs reflected the political will of the AAP government. “More than 28,000 cases have been registered and over 400 drug traffickers are behind bars. The second phase of Yudh Nashean Virudh has been launched,” he said, urging party workers to take the message to every household.

Announcing the next phase of action, he said, “After drugs, we will now launch a war against gangsters. All gangsters and their networks in Punjab will be eliminated. We will not spare them.”

Call to party cadre

Calling upon newly elected representatives to take responsibility, Kejriwal said the party’s vote share must be taken from 38 per cent to 45 per cent in the next election. He warned against arrogance and corruption, saying political careers would end if leaders deviated from public service.

Chief Minister Mann, congratulating the elected members, said local body elections were tougher than Assembly or Parliamentary polls and that their victory reflected direct engagement with the people. He took a dig at traditional parties, saying they lacked both agenda and leadership, while people were increasingly aligning with AAP’s pro-people policies.

Senior AAP leader and Punjab Prabhari Manish Sisodia said the mandate reflected people’s faith in the government’s development-oriented policies. He assured the elected representatives of full government support for rural development and urged coordination with panchayats to ensure timely delivery of welfare schemes, including preparation of health cards for all families.