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COVER STORY JULY 24, 2026 | The Indian Eye 4

PM’S DEVELOPMENT PUSH

BJP’S PROJECT

PUNJAB

PM Modi’s Rs 5,470-crore infrastructure package for Punjab underscores the BJP’s
strategy of expanding its political footprint in a state where it remains electorally weak

but sees growing opportunities amid a fragmented opposition

OUR BUREAU
Chandigarh / New Delhi
rime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Pun-
jab on Friday was officially centered on in-
Pfrastructure, connectivity and development.
Politically, however, it carried a much broader mes-
sage.
By inaugurating and laying the foundation
stone for rail and road projects worth more than
Rs 5,470 crore while repeatedly emphasizing that
the Centre would continue to invest in Punjab ir-
respective of which party governs the state, Modi
signaled that the BJP intends to become a far more
significant player in Punjab ahead of the 2027 As-
sembly elections.
For a party that has historically struggled to
establish itself independently in Punjab after the
collapse of its long-standing alliance with the Shiro-
mani Akali Dal (SAD), development has increas-
ingly become its principal political narrative. Fri-
day’s announcements fit neatly into that strategy.
The projects included the inauguration of 75
redeveloped railway stations across India under the
Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, including Jalandhar
Cantonment station, besides new railway lines, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches multiple development projects at a public rally, in Chandigarh on Friday. Union Minis-
highway projects and improved regional connec-
tivity. ters JP Nadda and Ashwini Vaishnaw also present (DPR PMO/ANI
Together, they represent one of the largest in-
frastructure packages announced for Punjab in re- where, Modi’s address devoted relatively little inauguration of the Daulatpur Chowk-Kartoli rail
cent years. attention to national political issues. Instead, he line, built at a cost of about Rs 830 crore as part of
Speaking in Jalandhar, Modi made the polit- focused almost entirely on infrastructure, gover- the Nangal Dam-Talwara-Mukerian railway proj-
ical message explicit. “Although there is no BJP nance, railway modernization and economic devel- ect. The line improves connectivity between Punjab
government in Punjab, our commitment to Pun- opment. and neighboring Himachal Pradesh while provid-
jab’s development remains unwavering. The BJP- He contrasted the Centre’s record with previ- ing easier access to important religious destinations
led NDA Government at the Centre is leaving no ous governments, saying Indian Railways had suf- including Shri Anandpur Sahib and the Maa Chint-
stone unturned to ensure the state’s progress,” the fered decades of neglect before 2014.”Indian Rail- purni Temple.
Prime Minister said. ways is the ride of poor and middle-class families. The Prime Minister also flagged off the Kar-
The remark was significant because Punjab But before 2014, the Congress government used to toli-Ambala train service and the Amritsar (Ch-
remains one of the few major states governed by make false announcements of new trains and then heharta)-Varanasi train, creating a direct rail link
the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), while the BJP seeks sit back. Railway stations were left to their fate,” between two of India’s most important spiritual
to expand beyond its traditional urban pockets and Modi said. centers.
improve its standing among Sikh voters. The development package itself spans multiple On the road infrastructure side, Modi inaugu-
Unlike several recent political speeches else- sectors. Among the key railway projects was the Continued on next page... >>

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