Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s Friday remarks about the formation of a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Punjab in 2027 have been received with much anticipation and intrigue across the political spectrum.Made at an event in New Delhi, the statement is significant for many reasons. But one particular reason stands out.Coming from Amit Shah, known to have been miffed the most by Shiromani Akali Dal’s shock departure from the ruling NDA coalition in September 2020, the remarks assume great significance and constitute, by far, the surest sign that estranged partners are finally exploring a reunion.Those privy to developments leading up to SAD’s exit over the Centre’s farm laws on September 26, 2020 say Shah had personally intervened at the time to keep Akalis from leaving. But SAD cold shouldered the gesture, and moved on despite previously backing three controversial agricultural reform legislations in the Union Cabinet.That said, for the entire time of separation from Shiromani Akali Dal, the BJP has maintained that it was SAD that chose to leave and that the “BJP never deserts its allies.” This signal has been meant for Uddhav Thackeray of Shiv Sena UBT and Sukhbir Singh Badal of SAD.While Uddhav, as a prominent member of Congress-led INDIA opposition bloc, is still ranged against the BJP, Sukhbir has long thawed.The SAD chief supported NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu on July 1, 2022, ahead of the July 18 presidential poll that year. Most recently, he reversed SAD’s previous opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet agenda of delimitation and 33 % women’s reservation and backed it.The BJP meanwhile also maintained its graces with SAD. On April 27, 2023, then BJP president JP Nadda attended the funeral of NDA stalwart and Sukhbir’s father Parkash Singh Badal in Muktsar. More recently in June this year, a meeting of PM Modi led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners passed a formal resolution recording salutations for seven foundational figures of the coalition, prominently featuring late Parkash Singh Badal of SAD alongside Atal Bihari Vajpayee of the BJP and Balasaheb Thackeray of the Shiv Sena.In August this year, Sukhbir Badal and PM Modi had a cordial meeting in Parliament House complex, their first official engagement since SAD left the NDA six years ago. And since then, signs that a reunion was on the horizon have only been deepening. PM Modi’s pointsman for Punjab polls CR Patil has also met Sukhbir Singh Badal and now Amit Shah has extended an olive branch.While bridges between BJP and SAD had never quite burnt, the timing of Amit Shah’s announcement is of essence. The Tribune has reliably learnt that BJP’s internal surveys have indicated gains should the party ally with SAD as against if it chooses to go solo.“The absence of a BJP-SAD coalition in Punjab can give the Congress a clear edge in elections. Conversely, a pre-poll pact between the erstwhile allies could catapult them as ruling AAP’s principal challengers. So the convergence of purpose — checking AAP and Congress — outscores any past divergence of hearts or minds,” says a senior source privy to ongoing developments.This source adds that politics is the art of possibilities in which “there are no permanent friends or foes, only permanent interests.”For the BJP, it is important to deal with both AAP and Congress. Though AAP’s electoral influence is limited to Punjab where it rules, the Arvind Kejriwal led outfit is gaining influence through the Cockroach Janta Party led public movements.The Congress, BJP’s only pan-India challenger, is also consistently building pressure on the Government through anti-Gyanesh Kumar rallies and offensives which Rahul Gandhi is actively leading.The CJP and Congress led movements on the issue of electoral transparency apart, BJP has to also contend with challenges in other states that go to polls early next year apart from Punjab.These states include the BJP ruled Uttar Pradesh (where Akhilesh Yadav led Samajwadi Party is putting up a strong fight against CM Yogi Adityanath); Uttarakhand where the Congress is an aggressive rival; Goa, where AAP and Congress are competing for power and Manipur where the saffron party is at the receiving end over an unabated cycle of ethnic violence.Though the BJP is eyeing a hattrick in UP, Uttarakhand and Goa, it is also acutely conscious of the anti-incumbency factor in the four states it rules.That explains a change of tack in Punjab, where a tweak of electoral strategy may well be worth the risk.Signs of reproachment among Akali factions are already emerging with Prem Singh Chandumajra, leader of Shiromani Akali Dal Punar Surjit, a brekaway group of SAD, backing Sukhbir Badal’s call of Akali solidarity for Punjab’s sake. A broad Akali unity is expected to precede SAD’s NDA reentry ahead of 2027 Punjab polls.