BJP announced that 150 farmers had joined its ranks at a rally in Patiala on 26 March 2026, the party said it was a win for the Nasha Mukti Yatra launch fronting the 2027 Punjab Assembly campaign. The event, held in Patiala Rural, was billed as a major outreach to the state’s farming community.
Buta Singh Shadipur, the union’s chief, rejected the claim outright, saying, "No one from our organisation has joined the BJP," and accused the party of misusing the union’s name, badge and logo. He added, "People were brought from outside and presented as members of the union, giving the impression that we backed the BJP."
Prabhjeet Singh, the union’s legal adviser, said the investigation is underway and that the group will consider filing trademark and defamation notices. "We are examining the videos and other material," he told a press conference, "and once the investigation is complete, we will send legal notices to the concerned parties."
On the BJP side, farmer Nirmal Singh defended his decision to join the party, saying, "After seeing all three major parties, people have now decided to support the BJP," and blamed AAP for spoiling Punjab’s political atmosphere.
The episode comes as the BJP ramps up its rural outreach across Punjab, using drug‑free campaigns and farmer welfare messaging to expand its base beyond urban centers. The controversy threatens to dent the party’s image among the very constituency it seeks to win.
The union will issue formal notices once its probe concludes, while the BJP is expected to respond with statements clarifying the event’s participant list. The legal dispute is poised to dominate headlines in the run‑up to the 2027 elections.