Amit Shah Predicts NDA Government in Punjab in 2027, Fuels BJP-Akali Alliance Speculation

October 22, 2026

Chandigarh: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said the NDA will form the government in Punjab after the 2027 Assembly elections. His statement has sparked fresh discussion about a possible reunion between the BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which ended their alliance in 2020. However, there has been no official announcement from either party about joining hands again.

Speaking at an event in Delhi, Shah attacked the Aam Aadmi Party government over the drug problem in Punjab. He also accused AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal of preventing Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann from doing his job.

“I was in Punjab just the day before yesterday. Given how the drug trade has flourished under the AAP government, the people of Punjab have made up their minds. This time, an NDA government will be formed there…mark my words,” Shah said.

He further targeted Kejriwal over the way Punjab was being governed. Shah said the AAP could not keep making excuses and would have to show results. He predicted that the party would be wiped out in the next election and repeated his promise to end the drug trade in Punjab by 2029.

Shah has visited Punjab twice this year. On September 30, he addressed a rally at Paragpur in Jalandhar at the end of the BJP’s Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra. The campaign began on September 18 and covered around 4,000 kilometres, passing through all 117 Assembly constituencies.

At the rally, Shah said a BJP government elected in 2027 would make Punjab free of synthetic drugs, commonly known as chitta, and other narcotics by December 31, 2029. He also accused the AAP government of failing to control drug trafficking.

During his second visit on October 20, Shah met the families of people who had lost their lives after speaking out against drugs. He met families in Gurdaspur, Sangrur and Mansa and assured them that action would be taken against drug traffickers. He said those trying to silence people speaking against drugs would not succeed and promised to put the traffickers behind bars. He also attended a Dussehra celebration in Ludhiana.

Why the BJP and SAD Split in 2020

The BJP and SAD had been allies for nearly 24 years before their partnership ended in September 2020. The main reason was the Centre’s three farm laws, which triggered widespread protests by farmers in Punjab.

The Akali Dal had a strong support base among farmers in rural areas. As the protests grew, the party faced pressure over its continued association with the BJP-led NDA.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigned from the Union Cabinet in September 2020, where she was serving as Minister of Food Processing Industries. Later that month, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal announced that the party was leaving the NDA.

The alliance had long played a role in Punjab’s political landscape. The Akali Dal had stronger support in rural areas, while the BJP’s base was largely urban. Their partnership was also seen as a link between Sikh and Hindu political constituencies.

Both Parties Contested Separately After the Split

In the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, the Akali Dal joined hands with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The BJP, meanwhile, contested in alliance with former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s Punjab Lok Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt).

Talk of a possible reunion returned before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However, the two parties could not reach an agreement on seat-sharing, and differences over farmers’ issues remained. They eventually contested the elections separately.

Shah’s latest remarks have brought the question of a BJP-SAD reunion back into focus ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. For now, the two parties have yet to confirm any alliance.