Senior BJP leader and National General Secretary Tarun Chugh has slammed the AAP government in Punjab, holding Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal responsible for the state's financial disaster. Chugh’s remarks come in the wake of the Niti Aayog’s Fiscal Health Index 2025, which ranks Punjab as the worst-performing state in fiscal health among 18 major Indian states.

Chugh stated, "Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal have pushed Punjab into financial ruin with their reckless economic policies. The same AAP government that promised a ‘Rangla Punjab’ has instead turned it into a ‘Kangla Punjab.’ Their so-called 'Delhi Model' has proved to be a disastrous scam, and Punjab is now suffering under their misrule."

According to the Niti Aayog report, Punjab has the lowest Fiscal Health Index score (10.7), ranking 18th among all major states, while Odisha leads with a score of 67.8. Punjab’s poor ranking is attributed to its abysmal quality of expenditure, fiscal irresponsibility, and unsustainable debt practices. The report highlights that Punjab’s public debt has ballooned to ₹3.71 lakh crore as of December 2024, a direct consequence of AAP’s flawed financial planning and freebie politics.

Blasting the populist policies of the Bhagwant Mann-led government, Chugh added, "Instead of focusing on job creation, industry, and investment, the AAP government is blindly distributing freebies without any fiscal discipline. Punjab is drowning in debt, and Bhagwant Mann is busy taking orders from Arvind Kejriwal, who has no understanding of Punjab’s economic realities."

The report also warns that Punjab's spending on infrastructure and capital development is among the lowest, while a large chunk of revenue is being diverted towards debt servicing, salaries, and pensions. Chugh pointed out that even Bihar and Jharkhand, traditionally weaker states, have outperformed Punjab in financial management, exposing AAP’s false claims of governance.

Tarun Chugh has demanded that CM Bhagwant Mann and his Finance Minister take responsibility and resign immediately for the economic disaster unfolding in Punjab. He further called for an urgent financial restructuring plan to stabilize Punjab’s economy, emphasizing transparent taxation, industrial growth, and job-oriented policies to bring Punjab back on track.

Chugh concluded by stating, "AAP's hollow promises and fiscal misadventures have crippled Punjab. The people of Punjab must now decide whether they want a government that works for long-term economic stability or one that blindly follows Arvind Kejriwal’s failed model of governance. BJP will continue to expose their lies and fight for Punjab’s economic revival."