Mann said that after four-and-a-half years in office, he was standing before the people after fulfilling every promise and delivering every guarantee made by his government.Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Wednesday accused the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leadership of being “on its knees” to forge an alliance with the BJP and return to power in Punjab so that they could “plunder” the state again.Addressing a ‘Lok Milni’ at Chawinda Devi in Majitha, considered a SAD stronghold, Mann accused the BJP-Akali combine of “ruining countless families” during their tenure by pushing the state into the drug crisis.“The Akali leadership is now desperate to return to power. For this purpose, they are begging the BJP to join hands so that they can plunder the state. But the wise people of Punjab will once again oust them. Punjabis will send the Akalis and BJP into political oblivion due to their sins against the state and its people,” Mann said.The CM claimed that the Akali leadership, including Sukhbir Singh Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia, were desperate to reclaim their political standing. “Sukhbir and Majithia are claiming that they have a chance to form the next government. However, it’s their turn to go to jail,” Mann said.Majithia’s wife Ganieve Kaur Majithia represents Majitha in the Assembly. Before Ganieve, her husband represented the seat for three consecutive terms beginning 2007.Contrasting what he described as the previous regimes’ politics of “FIRs, hooliganism and fear” with his government’s focus on jobs, education, healthcare and development, Mann said the people of Majitha were ready to write a new political chapter.On Badal, he said the former CM remained disconnected from the realities of Punjab while living “in a secured environment surrounded by luxuries and opulence”.Story continues below this adMann said that while past regimes concentrated power around a privileged few, his government has focused entirely on progressive development, delivering merit-based government jobs, upgrading educational and health infrastructure, and fixing roads, electricity, and water access.He alleged that during the previous regime, drugs were supplied in official vehicles, while drug smugglers were now being put behind bars.Taking a swipe at the Congress, Mann said the party was on its “death bed” and would soon become “politically irrelevant”. “The Congress has no vision for Punjab or its people. The Congress is a divided house and will collapse because of its infighting,” he said.Targeted the central leadership of the Congress, he said, “It is a pity that the top party leaders who come to unite those squabbling for power in Puanjab are not even aware of how to pronounce their names.”Story continues below this adTaking a further dig at the shifting political stance of the opposition parties, Mann said that those who once challenged everyone else are now looking toward other parties for survival and political backing. He underscored that the public of Punjab has rejected the old politics of division and exploitation, choosing instead a path focused on employment, education, health, and inclusive growth.Mann said that after four-and-a-half years in office, he was standing before the people after fulfilling every promise and delivering every guarantee made by his government. He said his government has provided 70,000 jobs solely on merit, with “no cash, no farmaish” (no bribe, no recommendation). The government schools had been transformed to such an extent that students were now qualifying for the JEE and NEET examinations, he added. Kamaldeep Singh Brar is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, primarily covering Amritsar and the Majha region of Punjab. He is one of the publication's key reporters for stories involving the Akal Takht, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), and the sensitive socio-political issues of the border districts. Core Beats & Specializations Religious & Panthic Affairs: He has deep expertise in the internal workings of the Akal Takht and SGPC, frequently reporting on religious sentences (Tankhah), Panthic politics, and the influence of Sikh institutions. National Security & Crime: His reporting covers cross-border drug smuggling, drone activities from Pakistan, and the activities of radical groups. Regional Politics: He is the primary correspondent for the Majha belt, covering elections and political shifts in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His work in late 2025 has been centered on judicial developments, local body elections, and religious controversies: 1. Religious Politics & Akal Takht "Akal Takht pronounces religious sentences against former Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh" (Dec 8, 2025): Covering the historic decision to hold the former Jathedar guilty for granting a pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in 2015. "YouTube suspends SGPC’s channel for a week over video on 1984 Army action" (Nov 20, 2025): Reporting on the digital friction between global tech platforms and Sikh religious bodies. "As AAP govt grants Amritsar holy tag, a look at its fraught demand" (Nov 28, 2025): An analytical piece on the long-standing demand for declaring Amritsar a "holy city" and its political implications. 2. Crime & National Security "Mostly Khalistanis on Amritpal’s hit list: Punjab govt to High Court" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on the state government's claims regarding jailed MP Amritpal Singh orchestrating activity from prison. "Punjab man with links to Pakistan’s ISI handlers killed in encounter" (Nov 20, 2025): Detailing a police operation in Amritsar involving "newly refurbished" firearms likely sent from across the border. "15 schools in Amritsar get bomb threat emails; police launch probe" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering the panic and police response to mass threats against educational institutions. 3. Political Analysis & Elections "AAP wins 12 of 15 zones in SAD stronghold Majitha" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant shift in the 2025 rural elections where the Akali Dal lost its grip on a traditional fortress. "Tarn Taran bypoll: woman faces threats after complaining to CM Mann about drug menace" (Nov 9, 2025): A ground report on the personal risks faced by citizens speaking out against the illegal drug trade in border villages. "AAP wins Tarn Taran bypoll, but SAD finds silver lining" (Nov 14, 2025): Analyzing the 2025 assembly by-election results and the surprising performance of Independents backed by radical factions. 4. Human Interest "Two couples and a baby: Punjab drug addiction tragedy has new victims" (Nov 20, 2025): A tragic investigative piece about parents selling an infant to fund their addiction. "Kashmiri women artisans debut at Amritsar’s PITEX" (Dec 8, 2025): A feature on financial independence initiatives for rural women at the Punjab International Trade Expo. Signature Beat Kamaldeep is known for his nuanced understanding of border dynamics. His reporting often highlights the "drug crisis in the underprivileged localities" (like Muradpur in Tarn Taran, Nov 9, 2025), providing a voice to marginalized communities affected by addiction and administrative neglect. X (Twitter): @kamalsbrar ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram