Bhagwant Mann vs farmers: Is AAP rethinking its strategy in Punjab?

NEW DELHI: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann is taking the farmers head-on, accusing them of "turning Punjab into a state of protests." The foiled Chandigarh agitation has now become the latest flashpoint in the escalating standoff.
On Wednesday, farmers who had set out in tractors and other vehicles were stopped at multiple entry points, leading to heightened tensions between the protesters and the government.
A day earlier, Bhagwant Mann had walked out of a crucial meeting with farm leaders midway, further deepening the confrontation. As protesting farmers were halted, the

Samyukta Kisan Morcha

(SKM) issued a direct warning to Mann, stating that his government "will not have enough jails if the farmers of Punjab decide to court arrest to protect the democratic rights of the people."
The latest showdown has provided fresh ammunition to opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has accused the AAP government of "insulting the annadatas (food providers)."

For a party that rode to power in Punjab with the support of farmers — who protested for months against the Centre's farm bills at Delhi’s borders — this apparent U-turn has been striking. The Mann government now finds its relationship with the farming community severely strained.
Speaking to the media, Mann defended his stance, stating that his government had to balance the interests of all Punjabis, not just farmers.
"I am the custodian of not just the farmers but of Punjab’s 3.5 crore people. The protests were causing inconvenience to traders, businessmen, students, and employees," Mann said.

AAP’s political setback and Kejriwal’s absence

The confrontation with farmers comes just days after AAP lost its stronghold in Delhi, allowing the BJP to stage a major comeback in the recent Delhi assembly elections.
Adding to the political turmoil, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal has not been seen in public since the election results were announced. Though he traveled to Punjab for a 10-day Vipassana meditation camp, what grabbed attention was his high-profile convoy.

The opposition targeted the Punjab government over Kejriwal’s 21-vehicle cavalcade, which included Punjab Police personnel, accusing him of hypocrisy. The BJP, which successfully countered Kejriwal’s ‘aam aadmi’ (common man) narrative in Delhi with allegations of extravagant spending on ‘Sheesh Mahal’ (glass palace),claimed his Punjab retreat was simply an excuse to enjoy a lavish lifestyle.
The Delhi assembly results marked AAP’s second major setback, following its poor performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where it won only three out of 13 parliamentary seats in Punjab. This was in stark contrast to its landslide victory in the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, where the party won 92 out of 117 seats.
The Delhi election results were also seen as a reflection of Mann’s popularity. Despite active campaigning by Mann, his cabinet ministers, MPs, and MLAs, the party failed to improve its standing in the national capital.
With Punjab assembly elections just two years away, Mann’s tougher stance on farmers will be closely watched, as it may determine AAP’s future in the state.