“Power surplus” in advertisements, electricity missing on the ground: BJP

Ludhiana, June 30, 2026: The protests, grid gheraos, and road blockades being staged by farmers across Punjab against power cuts including at Majitha (Amritsar), Sangrur, Mansa, Patiala, Bathinda, Dhola, Tapa, Goindwal Sahib, Kathunangal, and Sri Muktsar Sahib have completely exposed Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s claims of “eight hours of uninterrupted power supply” and a “power-surplus Punjab.” This reaction was expressed by Ludhiana BJP district president Rajnish Dhiman.
Dhiman said that during the paddy transplantation season, Punjab’s power demand rises to between 14,000 and 16,000 MW, while the reality of the government’s power supply and load management is now visible to everyone. Punjab has nearly 1.394 million agricultural tubewells, which form the backbone of its farming economy, yet the government has completely failed to provide them with adequate electricity.
He said that while the Mann Government has repeatedly claimed to provide farmers with 8 hours of electricity, farmers are receiving only 3 to 4 hours of erratic and broken supply. Power disappears during the day and is cut during the night this is not governance; it is administrative chaos.
Rajnish Dhiman said that the condition of Punjab’s thermal power plants also exposes the government’s lack of preparedness. Several units at the Lehra Mohabbat Thermal Plant remained shut, while the generation capacity of the Ropar Thermal Plant also remained under pressure. If the government already knew that demand would reach record levels during the paddy season, why were backup arrangements not made in advance?
He said that due to the lack of electricity, farmers are being forced to burn expensive diesel to run generators. The additional diesel cost for irrigating even one acre of paddy is breaking the farmers’ backs financially. Already burdened by debt, Punjab’s annadata is now paying from his own pocket for the government’s failure.
Dhiman said that the Aam Aadmi Party government is entirely focused on advertisements, social media, and image management. On the ground, there is neither electricity, nor planning, nor accountability. This government is not power-surplus—it is propaganda-surplus.
He urged the Chief Minister to move beyond stage-managed speeches in air-conditioned halls, visit the villages, look into the eyes of farmers sitting outside power grids, and explain what has become of his promises.
Rajnish Dhiman said that Punjab’s farmers will remember Bhagwant Mann’s deception, failure, and  arrogance, and when the time comes, they will certainly deliver a democratic response.
District vice president Naval Jain, Press Secretary Doctor Satish Kumar, Spokesperson Surender Koushal,Saurav Kapoor were also present during the occasion.