Amit Shah slams Opposition, says protests will achieve nothing, NDA will form next government in Punjab

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday (October 22, 2026) slammed Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), saying protests and demonstrations would achieve nothing, and asserted that the NDA would form the next government in Punjab.

Inaugurating projects worth ₹8,941 crore aimed at cleaning the Yamuna in Delhi, Mr. Shah asserted that the BJP would seek a mandate from people in 2029 after rejuvenating the river.

In a blistering attack on the Congress and AAP, Shah said the Opposition parties had accused the ruling dispensation of EVM tampering and vote theft, but had been out of power in many States for decades.

Mr. Shah, detailing plans to clean the Yamuna, also accused the previous Congress and AAP governments in Delhi of allowing sewer water discharge into the river and said the BJP government had now managed to reduce the discharge.

Attacking AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Mr. Shah said the "politics of excuse" would not save the AAP in the upcoming Punjab Assembly polls.

People in Punjab want an NDA government, he said, claiming that the AAP would be routed in the polls.

Mr. Shah also asserted that the prevailing drug trafficking menace would be ended after the formation of an NDA government in Punjab.