Amit Shah rules out Akali alliance, vows BJP government in 2027
March 14, 2026: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday announced that the Bharatiya Janata Party will contest the 2027 Assembly elections in Punjab independently, ending speculation about a renewed alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal. Addressing the Badlaav Rally in Killi Chahlan, Shah said the BJP would no longer play the role of a junior partner in state politics and would instead seek a full mandate to form its own government.
Citing the party’s performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Shah said the BJP secured around 19 percent of the vote in Punjab despite failing to win seats, adding that similar vote shares had earlier helped the party eventually form governments in states like Assam and Haryana. He also promised that if the BJP comes to power, it would introduce an anti-conversion law within a month of forming the government.
Shah also criticised the government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accusing him of prioritising the interests of Arvind Kejriwal over the state. Highlighting Punjab’s drug problem, Shah promised strict action to eliminate the narcotics trade within two years if the BJP forms the government. The BJP had earlier contested elections in Punjab for decades as a junior ally of the Akali Dal, but the alliance collapsed in 2020 following tensions over the now-repealed farm laws.