States » NorthPosted at: Oct 22 2026 6:45PM


Did Amit Shah let the cat out of the bag? Punjab NDA remark hints at a bigger political plan

Neeraj Bali
Chandigarh, Oct 22 (UNI) Did union Home Minister Amit Shah inadvertently reveal a possible shift in the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Punjab election strategy? His declaration that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would form the next government in the state has revived speculation about a reunion with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), even as the BJP has repeatedly insisted it would contest all 117 Assembly seats independently.
The remark has drawn fresh attention to earlier hints by senior Akali leaders Bikram Singh Majithia and Harsimrat Kaur Badal about a possible rapprochement between the former allies, as well as reports of preliminary discussions on seat-sharing.
Speaking in Delhi on Thursday, Shah said, "The people have decided to bring an NDA government to power," while attacking the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over drug trafficking and governance.
The reference to an "NDA government", rather than a "BJP government", contrasts with Shah's own declarations earlier this year.
Addressing a rally in Moga on March 14, Shah had declared that the BJP would no longer play the role of junior partner in Punjab politics.
"Whenever we came before you in the past, we were the junior partner. But from today, the BJP begins its campaign to form its own government in Punjab," he had said.
The party's position became more explicit at a June 12 meeting with Punjab BJP leaders in New Delhi, where Shah was reported to have ruled out a pre-election alliance.
"We can make our own chief minister if we contest alone," Shah reportedly told party leaders, urging them to prepare for an independent electoral campaign.
However, indications of a possible revival of the Akali-BJP partnership had emerged in August.
On August 20, Bathinda MP and former union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal gave an intriguing response when questioned about a possible alliance. "It is not my duty to speak, so I am holding back my tongue. You will come to know yourself," she said.
A day later, senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia publicly supported the idea of the two parties reuniting. "There is a demand from the people that we should come together again," Majithia said, while maintaining that the final decision rested with the leadership of both parties.
Speculation intensified following an August 27 media report, citing unnamed sources, that the BJP and SAD had already held a preliminary round of seat-sharing discussions, including possible allocation of constituencies and leadership positions.
Neither party publicly confirmed any agreement.
Despite these developments, Punjab BJP in-charge Satish Poonia reiterated on August 31 that the party would contest all 117 Assembly seats independently. "I reiterate that we will contest the elections on our own," Poonia told reporters when questioned about a possible alliance.
The BJP and SAD ended their decades-old partnership in September 2020 over the now-repealed central farm laws. The BJP had traditionally been the junior partner in their alliance.
Shah's latest remarks have now brought those earlier statements and reported discussions back into focus, although he neither announced an alliance nor named any prospective partner.
The Home Minister also accused AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal of interfering in Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's functioning after his party's defeat in Delhi.
"Kejriwal ji, excuses will not work; results are needed," Shah said, accusing the AAP government of allowing drug trafficking to expand. He pledged to eliminate the drug trade in Punjab by 2029 and claimed AAP would be defeated in the next elections.
Whether Shah's choice of words signals an emerging electoral understanding or merely reflects the BJP-led national coalition's identity remains unclear.
But the contrast between the party's public go-it-alone position and his latest NDA reference has put the possibility of an Akali-BJP reunion back in the political spotlight.
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