Sounding the election bugle for the 2027 Punjab Assembly poll, Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah declared on Saturday that BJP will contest the election on its own to form the next government in the state. Addressing an impressive ‘Badlav Rally’ at Killi Chahlan, near Moga, and appearing in a saffron turban, Shah said the era of BJP playing the ‘Chhota Bhai’ (younger brother) in Punjab politics was over. He asserted that the party would go solo in the 2027 election and form its own government.“Punjab needs change, and BJP will provide decisive leadership to restore the state’s pride and safety,” he told the gathering. Amit Shah said BJP secured around 19 per cent vote share in Punjab in the 2024 election, which, he asserted, would serve as the foundation for the party’s future government in the state. He said similar political trajectories had been witnessed in several other states, where the party gradually expanded its support base.“Once our double-engine government is formed in a state, it remains stable for a long time and ensures sustainable development,” he added. In his high-decibel address, Shah was sharply critical of the ruling AAP and the Congress, blaming them for the problems plaguing Punjab. However, he refrained from mentioning the name of BJP’s former alliance partner, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), while announcing the party’s decision to contest the 2027 Vidhan Sabha election independently.Amit Shah asserted that ‘Hindu-Sikh Ekta’ (unity) is the bedrock of Punjab’s progress. He maintained that only a BJP government in 2027 could ensure this social cohesion while simultaneously delivering a final blow to the drug menace. Shah told the gathering that a unified Punjab, backed by the strength of a ‘double-engine’ administration, is the only way to restore the state’s lost glory and secure its borders.