Sunny Khurma
Cheif Editor
Jalandhar, September 30, 2026: Rajya Sabha MP and former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh launched a sharp criticism of the Aam Aadmi Party over its governance in Punjab on Wednesday, questioning what he described as growing influence of Delhi-based leaders and officials in the state.
Harbhajan made the remarks in Jalandhar on the sidelines of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s rally, where the BJP’s statewide anti-drug campaign concluded.
Speaking about the functioning of the Punjab government, Harbhajan alleged that people associated with Delhi were being brought into important roles in the state and questioned why Punjab could not rely more extensively on people from within the state for administrative and organisational responsibilities.
He also raised the issue of government accommodation and claimed that senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia had used his Delhi residence, Bungalow No. 32.
The residence referred to by Harbhajan is the government bungalow at 32, Rajendra Prasad Road in New Delhi. Sisodia had moved there with his family in 2024 after vacating his previous official accommodation. The bungalow had been allotted to Harbhajan Singh in his capacity as a Rajya Sabha member.
Harbhajan also criticised the Punjab government over the drug problem, saying the ruling party had been given an opportunity by the people to improve conditions in the state but, in his view, had failed to deliver the required change.
Referring to the drug issue, Harbhajan said the government had been given a major responsibility and argued that more should have been achieved during its tenure. He said Punjab’s youth and their future should remain at the centre of the state’s priorities.
He also questioned the involvement of leaders from outside Punjab in the state’s political and administrative affairs, arguing that Punjabis were capable of managing institutions and government responsibilities themselves.
Harbhajan further criticised aspects of recent AAP political events, including the choice of music at a programme associated with the birth anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, saying patriotic songs would have been more appropriate for such an occasion.
His remarks come amid an increasingly intense political contest in Punjab ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, with the drug issue, governance and the role of Delhi-based AAP leaders becoming recurring points of disagreement between political parties.
AAP, for its part, has maintained that the Bhagwant Mann government is actively pursuing its anti-drug campaign and has defended its record against criticism from political opponents. Earlier this month, the party reiterated that its government was continuing enforcement action under its statewide campaign against drugs.
No immediate response from Manish Sisodia to Harbhajan Singh’s latest remarks about the Delhi bungalow was available at the time of publication.
Harbhajan’s comments add another dimension to the political debate in Punjab as parties intensify their campaigns and sharpen their arguments over governance, drugs and the state’s relationship with Delhi-based political leadership.
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