Chandigarh, May 28 (IANS): Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Badal on Tuesday announced his party's next government in the state would bring in legislation to award the death penalty to drug traffickers and gangsters to eradicate the scrouge.

The SAD President, who addressed a party rally in Rama Mandi town in support of wife and Bathinda candidate Harsimrat Badal, said: "I guarantee you no drug trafficker or gangster will remain in Punjab once the SAD forms the government in 2027. We will not only introduce the death penalty for these heinous crimes but also confiscate all properties of such criminals."

"Fast-track courts will also be established to try their cases in a time-bound manner," he added.

Badal also announced that all Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators and functionaries "who were giving patronage to drug traffickers and even taking monthlies from them" would be taken to task.

He also said that the SAD government would stop the trend of giving government jobs to outsiders. "We will also make it mandatory for the private sector to employ 75 per cent of youth in their establishments."

Badal appealed to the people to support the party wholeheartedly. "This election is special in many ways. The time has come to give a clear message that the Sikh sangat will not tolerate any interference in its religious affairs. We must unite to oust the RSS from our religious institutions," he said.

Punjab will go to the polls on all 13 parliamentary seats on June 1.