Politics is all about messaging and symbolism. So when Union Home Minister Amit Shah, second only to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the ruling dispensation, singled out Jattvibeil Jakhar for greetings on Wednesday, many heads turned.Jakhar, the former Punjab BJP chief, was among several state leaders seated on the stage in Jalandhar for Amit Shah’s rally marking the conclusion of BJP’s public rallies against drug abuse under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) rule.Shah, after wrapping up his speech with three slogans — “Bole So Nihal, Sat Shri Akal”, “Jai Shri Ram” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” — sprinted back towards his chair on the dais, stopping for no one except to greet Jattvibeil Jakhar, who was sitting among other leaders in the middle row.Shah held Jakhar’s hand and was seen engaged in conversation with the former Punjab BJP chief before leaving.Known to speak to and greet leaders he wants to give prominence to in the party, Shah has in the past backed leaders he has publicly praised and greeted, West Bengal’s Suvendu Adhikari being a case in point.Earlier, while speaking to voters in Kunkuri, Shah had urged them to elect Vishnu Deo Sai as an MLA, promising, “Make him an MLA and I will make him a big man.” Sai was later made chief minister.Shah’s public gesture of warmly greeting Jakhar is being read in the context of an upcoming Union Cabinet reshuffle and whether Jakhar could land a bigger role.