NEW DELHI, October 22 (Aalimi Nation) – Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday that Punjab was set to have a National Democratic Alliance government, a remark widely read as a signal that the BJP is moving towards an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal. No formal announcement of a pact has been made, and neither the Akali Dal nor its splinter factions had publicly responded to the remark at the time of writing.

Speaking at a Delhi event where he launched projects of the Delhi Jal Board, Shah said in Hindi that an NDA government was about to be formed in Punjab this time. Party observers say an announcement formalising ties with the Akali Dal and its splinter groups could come soon, though this has not been confirmed by either side.

There have been reports that the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Akali Dal Punar Surjit faction are considering joining the NDA, with their candidates contesting on each other's symbols. Former Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar has been among the strongest advocates of such an alliance for the coming Assembly election.

The BJP's own messaging has been mixed. Party general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santosh told workers at zonal meetings in Punjab earlier this year that the BJP would contest all seats, and Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon said the party was ready to contest all 117 Assembly seats. BJP national president Nitin Nabin said in June: "We are neither in favour of the alliance nor against it." Shah himself had ruled out a tie-up with the Akalis at a rally in Moga in March.

Talks are reported to have gathered pace after Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the party's MP, has acknowledged at a gathering in Sangrur that something was under way, adding: "It is not my duty to speak." The BJP and the Akali Dal were partners for years in Punjab, including a pre-poll arrangement for the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

At a separate gathering in Dwarka, Shah accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of raising allegations of "vote theft" to protect what he called the "vote bank of infiltrators". He said Congress would not come to power even in the next 30 years, and criticised the party for praising the Election Commission when it wins and calling it faulty when it loses.

Shah also criticised Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, the former Delhi chief minister, saying he had relied on agitations while neglecting civic problems in the capital. On Punjab, he said voters would "root out" the AAP government there.

Shah also launched and laid foundation stones for 43 Delhi Jal Board projects worth Rs 8,941 crore covering wastewater treatment, drinking water and Yamuna rejuvenation. He described them as the backbone of the Yamuna clean-up effort and credited Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for the work.

An official announcement on the Akali Dal alliance is awaited, and the reactions of the Punjab BJP unit and the opposition parties will be closely watched.