There is never a dull moment in the politics of Punjab. On Friday, Delhi political circles were abuzz with what many saw as a major hint by the Shiromani Akali Dal that a “ghar wapsi” to the BJP-led NDA alliance may finally be on the anvil.The buzz centres on a viral clip of Bathinda SAD MP Harsimrat Badal speaking at the anniversary of Harchand Singh Longowal in Sangrur on Thursday.Harsimrat’s remarks did not go unnoticed in Delhi. The BJP has also taken note and remains in a wait-and-watch mode.“It is not my remit to speak so I will keep quiet. You will all come to know yourself. May the Gurus bless us. May the people support us. Same alliances and understandings should be reached as existed before when the tasks related to your development and progress were executed from Delhi. Once more the foundation of development and progress should be laid in Punjab so that the people of the state and Punjab benefit,” she said in a cryptic signal which many political observers read as a potential hint of an alliance between the estranged partners SAD and BJP.There is no official word on any such development though. But there are ample signs of a thaw. It all began with PM Narendra Modi meeting SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal in Parliament recently. The SAD then announced support for delimitation and women’s reservation agenda of the prime minister. The PM, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh all called up Harsimrat to check on the health of Sukhbir Badal after he was attacked in Maharashtra’s Nanded. Harsimrat has also written two letters to Shah, of late.In the first, she demanded a CBI probe into alleged paper leaks in Punjab and in the second, she sought an NIA probe into the attack on her husband.What The Tribune has learnt is that the BJP strategists in Punjab have been asked to identify the strongest seats among 117 should a possible alliance take shape.Some 50 seats in Punjab have been earmarked as very strong by the BJP as it is officially preparing for all 117 seats in the 2027 assembly elections unless of course things change.