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Chandigarh/Muktsar: Punjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has decided to hold a political rally during the Maghi Mela in Muktsar, reviving a practice after nearly a decade and significantly raising political temperatures around one of the state’s most sacred religious congregations.
The decision has triggered sharp political contrasts, with the Indian National Congress announcing that it will organise its rally after January 14, in deference to the 2017 advisory of the Akal Takht, which had urged political parties to refrain from holding political events during religious occasions.
AAP Joins the Crowd at Muktsar
AAP’s move comes amid an unusual convergence of political forces at this year’s Maghi Mela. The ruling party’s leadership from Delhi was dispatched earlier this week to finalise the venue, marking AAP’s first Maghi rally since 2016. Muktsar MLA Jagdeep Singh ‘Kaka’ Brar said the decision was driven by political parity. “Since all major parties are holding their conferences, we too decided to organise our programme,” he said.
The rally will be held on Kotkapura Road near the memorial gate, and is expected to draw AAP workers from five districts. Among those slated to attend are Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, state unit chief Aman Arora, along with ministers and MLAs.
The Forest Department has already begun clearing bushes at the proposed site, fuelling speculation that the government may use the occasion to make a major populist announcement, with talk rife about a possible ₹1,000 monthly stipend for women aged 18 and above.
Opposition Treads a Cautious Line
In contrast, Congress has chosen to underline its respect for religious sensitivities. Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said the party would organise a rally in Muktsar only after Maghi Mela concludes. “We will abide by the Akal Takht’s 2017 edict. But since other parties are showing strength, we too will hold a rally—after January 14,” he said.
Akali, BJP and Others in the Fray
The political churn around Maghi Mela has intensified further with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) announcing the launch of its campaign for the 2027 Assembly elections on January 14 at Muktsar. Party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal has been holding continuous meetings to ensure a strong turnout, as the party seeks a revival after recent electoral setbacks.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will also hold its maiden political conference at Maghi Mela, part of its strategy to contest future Punjab elections independently. Senior leaders, including Anurag Thakur, national general secretary Tarun Chugh, and state chief Sunil Jakhar, are expected to attend. Local BJP leaders have pitched for Union Ministers such as Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Hardeep Singh Puri and Ravneet Singh Bittu to headline the event.
Meanwhile, the Simranjit Singh Mann-led SAD (Amritsar) and Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De)—the latter headed by jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh—are also set to hold their own conferences during the mela.
Faith, Memory and Politics Intersect
Maghi Mela is among Punjab’s largest religious congregations, commemorating the martyrdom of the 40 ‘Muktas’, who laid down their lives fighting Mughal forces in 1705. Every year, thousands of devotees visit Muktsar’s historic gurdwaras on Maghi—observed a day after Lohri—to pay obeisance.
This year, however, the mela is set to witness an unprecedented overlap of faith and politics, reviving a long-running debate in Punjab over the appropriateness of political mobilisation at deeply religious occasions. Whether this convergence energises voters or invites criticism for politicising sacred space remains to be seen.
