New Delhi: Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his "vote chori" allegations, accusing him of trying to protect the votes of "infiltrators", and asserted that the NDA would form the next government in Punjab.
"BJP keeps winning elections, and the Opposition is troubled by it. That is why they have come up with the excuse of 'vote chori'," Shah said. Taking a swipe at Gandhi, who has been travelling abroad, he added: "I know you can't hear me, you're sitting somewhere abroad... But once you land in Delhi, listen to me; your turn won't come for the next thirty years."
Shah's claim on Punjab is being read as a signal that the BJP is keeping the door open to a renewed alliance with its former partner, the Shiromani Akali Dal, ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls. The home minister did not spell out any alliance plan, and no formal announcement was made.
Thursday also marked Shah's 62nd birthday. The same day, he laid the foundation for 43 projects worth Rs 8,941 crore for the rejuvenation of the Yamuna in Delhi. The Union government says the projects are aimed at cleaning and reviving the river. Shah also hit out at Opposition protests, saying demonstrations achieve nothing.
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party leaders have challenged Shah's claim. Political debate is expected to intensify over the BJP's Punjab ambitions and a possible tie-up with the Akali Dal in the run-up to the state polls.
The 'vote chori' charge stems from Opposition claims that names were wrongly deleted from voter lists during the ongoing electoral roll revision. The BJP has rejected the charge, calling it an excuse to cover up the Opposition's own weaknesses. Punjab is due to vote in 2027, and the state's politics has been roiled by the drugs issue and by a spate of protests in recent months.