AAP sources cite political considerations ahead of 2027 polls as Punjab administration mounts elaborate security arrangements for Prime Minister’s visit.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi “as per the protocol” in Chandigarh on Friday but is unlikely to attend an official function in Jalandhar where the latter will lay the foundation stone of rail and road infrastructure projects worth over Rs 5,470 crore. Aam Aadmi Party’s lone Rajya Sabha MP from state and environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal, however, will attend Modi’s programme in Jalandhar.
Modi’s helicopter is expected to land at Rajindra Park in Chandigarh, located opposite the Chief Minister’s official residence. From there Modi will proceed to the PGIMER before leaving for Jalandhar.
“The Chief Minister will receive the Prime Minister at Rajindra Park and fulfil the protocol. Beyond that, however, the Chief Minister is unlikely to travel to Jalandhar,” a senior official, privy to Mann’s itinerary, said.
The Aam Aadmi Party has decided it would be politically inadvisable for Mann to share the stage with the Prime Minister and senior BJP leaders in the run-up to the 2027 Assembly elections, it has been learnt.
“It does not suit him politically. Apart from the PM, Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu and several other senior BJP leaders will be on the stage. How would it look if Mann shared the stage when the crowd would be hailing Modi?,” the official said.
Mann, it has been learnt, would depute a Cabinet minister to attend the Jalandhar function. If Mann wishes to raise any issue concerning Punjab with the Prime Minister, he could do so during their interaction at Rajindra Park, the source added.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of rail and road infrastructure projects worth over Rs 5,470 crore in Jalandhar. Besides inaugurating the redeveloped Jalandhar Cantonment railway station, he will virtually dedicate 75 Amrit Bharat railway stations across 20 states, inaugurate the Daulatpur Chowk-Kartoli rail line and flag off the Sant Ravidas Express connecting Punjab with Varanasi, among other projects.
Sources in the state government said the Ministry of Railways had formally invited the Chief Minister as part of the official protocol. “We have received the invitation. However, we do not know whether he would get time to raise any issue concerning Punjab during the programme,” a senior official said.
Even as political considerations appeared to keep Mann away from the public function, the Punjab administration remained on high alert to ensure a flawless visit by the Prime Minister.
Officials said the government was determined to avoid any situation resembling the security breach during Modi’s January 5, 2022 visit to Punjab, when the BJP accused the then Charanjit Singh Channi-led Congress government of failing to ensure adequate security.
On that occasion, Modi was to travel by helicopter to Ferozepur to address a rally and lay the foundation stone of development projects. Owing to inclement weather, the helicopter journey was cancelled and he proceeded by road from Bathinda. His convoy was halted for nearly 20 minutes on a flyover near Pyareana village after protesting farmers blocked the route.
The Prime Minister eventually returned to Bathinda without attending the rally, with the Union government describing the incident as a “major lapse” in security.
The episode triggered a political storm. The Ministry of Home Affairs sought a detailed report from the Punjab government, while the state constituted an inquiry headed by a retired High Court judge. The Supreme Court subsequently appointed a committee headed by former judge Justice Indu Malhotra to examine the sequence of events and identify lapses in security arrangements.
The incident severely strained relations between the Centre and the then Congress government in Punjab and has since remained a reference point for security planning during high-profile visits to the state.
With that backdrop, officials said elaborate arrangements had been put in place for Friday’s visit. Chief Secretary KAP Sinha was learnt to be personally monitoring preparations and coordinating with the Prime Minister’s Office, the Special Protection Group (SPG), the Railways, Punjab Police and the district administration to ensure every protocol requirement was meticulously followed.
Senior officers, including Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav remained engaged throughout Thursday reviewing route security, crowd management, access control and contingency plans.
