4 min readPatialaFeb 23, 2026 09:00 AM IST
First published on: Feb 23, 2026 at 09:00 AM IST
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s expanding political outreach in neighbouring Punjab has triggered a predictable but sharp pushback from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), signalling that his cross-state engagements are beginning to register in the state’s political calculus.
Over the weekend, Saini’s back-to-back rallies in Ludhiana and Amritsar were accompanied by black-flag demonstrations by AAP workers even as protests the party has amplified across its social media platforms.
On Sunday, Saini addressed a Poorvanchal Samman Rally in Ludhiana, targeting the sizeable migrant population from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the industrial hub. A day earlier, similar scenes unfolded in Amritsar during his Punjab Bachao Rally. The optics were clear: as Saini attempts to deepen his footprint, the AAP is intent on framing him as an unwelcome political guest.
Addressing the media in Chandigarh, Saini accused the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government of attempting to obstruct his programmes to deflect attention from its own governance failures. “Punjab is like a big brother to me and the people of the state are looking for ‘badlaav (change)’. The people love me and invite me and I go there to honour their invitation. The AAP government cannot see this change and they are scared. Hence, they are employing cheap tactics . However, I will continue to visit the people of Punjab and honour their love and affection,” Saini told The Indian Express.
Blending politics and personal narrative
The Haryana CM’s rhetoric blends political messaging with personal narrative. An OBC leader whose mother hails from Punjab, Saini frequently invokes his maternal roots and cultural affinity with the state. Supporters underline his turbaned appearance, Punjabi diction, and symbolic gestures — such as keeping a photograph of Harmandir Sahib at home — to project him as culturally embedded rather than politically intrusive. Increasingly, the BJP’s platforms in Punjab have begun prefixing his name with “Sardar”, an honorific that carries social legitimacy in Sikh-majority public life. The usage is informal but politically suggestive, aimed at softening the perception of an “outsider” CM campaigning across state lines.
For the AAP, however, the issue is not cultural but political. The party maintains that its protests are peaceful and issue-based, linking them to allegations of Operation Lotus-style poaching attempts and to inter-state tensions, including accusations that Haryana acted unfairly towards Punjab during the floods last year. The flashpoints of recent weeks — including claims by Sangrur AAP MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj that Saini approached her to join the BJP, which the Haryana CM denies — have only sharpened the confrontation.
This is not the first time Saini’s visits have drawn resistance. During the 2024 Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll campaign, AAP workers similarly waved black flags, accusing Haryana of blocking protesting Punjab farmers at border points during their march towards Delhi. The recurring protests suggest that AAP views Saini’s presence as more than symbolic and as political positioning ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
Demographically, the BJP sees opportunity in Punjab, with OBCs constituting more than 30% of the state’s population, according to the 2011 Census. The Saini community holds influence in several constituencies, particularly in pockets of Doaba and adjoining regions.
Within the BJP, there is a view that Saini’s elevation as Haryana CM provides a relatable OBC face capable of expanding the party’s appeal beyond its traditional urban Hindu base in Punjab. His speeches frequently cite Haryana’s MSP coverage on 24 crops and development metrics as a comparative template — an implicit contrast with AAP’s governance record.
At one level, the Saini-AAP confrontation is about protocol and political turf: whether a neighbouring state’s CM should be campaigning so visibly in Punjab. At another, it reflects BJP’s attempt to recalibrate its Punjab strategy through sustained symbolic engagement rather than election time mobilisation. It also underscores the AAP’s sensitivity to any narrative that positions Haryana as a governance benchmark.