Chandigarh:
With the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government facing mounting pressure over pending Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears of Punjab government employees, the BJP is seeking to turn the issue into a political pitch ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon on Thursday promised that if the party comes to power, it would ensure 63% DA for state employees, at par with central government employees, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to hike DA for the latter by 3%.
Welcoming the Centre’s decision, Dhillon said Punjab employees were yet to receive DA at the revised rate. He accused the AAP government of failing to address their demands and said, “If the BJP comes to power in Punjab, government employees will get 63% DA, at par with central government employees.” He also promised that pending DA arrears would be paid under a BJP government.
The BJP’s announcement comes amid continuing employee protests over unpaid dues. Dhillon claimed that nearly eight lakh state employees were agitating over the issue and alleged that the AAP government had remained adamant despite their demands. He said Punjab’s DA rate had yet to reach even 60%, contrasting the state government’s position with the Centre’s latest revision.
The dispute has also reached the courts. On October 27, the Punjab and Haryana High Court imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the Punjab government over the DA arrears matter and directed Chief Secretary KAP Sinha to appear personally on November 3. The state government has filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court, but Dhillon claimed that it remained on the defect list and had not yet been taken up for hearing.
With the 2027 Assembly elections approaching, the DA dispute has given the BJP an opportunity to challenge the AAP government on an issue directly affecting government employees and pensioners. By promising a specific DA rate and clearance of arrears, the BJP is seeking to make employee welfare a part of its campaign against the ruling party, while the AAP government faces pressure to resolve the issue amid protests and judicial scrutiny.
Dhillon also highlighted the Centre’s proposed sports goods manufacturing scheme for Jalandhar, the container manufacturing promotion scheme for exporters and the Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana for rural Punjab. He claimed these initiatives could support industry, exports, and village development. However, the immediate political focus remains on DA arrears, with the BJP using its 63% promise to target the AAP government as the state moves towards the next Assembly elections.
