With just eight months left for the Lok Sabha election, the BJP-led NDA has called a meeting on July 18, with former allies SAD and LJP (Chirag Paswan faction) likely to attend. SAD's Sukhbir Badal and Chirag Paswan have confirmed their presence for the meeting, which will be held in New Delhi's Ashoka Hotel.
Sources told ABP News that some fence sitter parties might also be included in the NDA meeting.
The BJP has already got a boost after former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha joined the NDA last month after severing ties with the Nitish Kumar-led Mahagathbandhan.
READ | 'Routine Meeting': Sukhbir Badal On Buzz About SAD Reuniting With BJP
Following Ajit Pawar's revolt in Maharashtra and a faction of the NCP joining the government, there have been murmurs about a possible alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular) in Karnataka and YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh with the BJP.
TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu also recently held a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the latter's residence.
On Thursday, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal held a meeting of his party's district presidents amid a buzz in political circles that the SAD and BJP may reunite ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Earlier this week, Badal also met senior BJP party leaders at his residence in Chandigarh, reports said.
However, Badal said it was a routine meeting and there was no question of a reunion. "We have an alliance with BSP, so how is this question even arising? This is our routine meeting. I have come after a month so we are having a routine meeting...We held the meeting to discuss VAT increase and water issues," ANI quoted Badal as saying when asked of SAD's plans to rejoin NDA.
The SAD had severed ties with the BJP-led NDA amid differences over the now-repealed farm laws. Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal had also resigned as Union Minister in September 2020.
The recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Chandigarh to pay homage on the demise of SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal, followed by BJP chief Nadda and Home Minister Amit Shah visiting his village on different occasions indicates efforts being made by BJP to get close to its old allies.
Recently, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also made reference to Parkash Singh Badal in his June 24 rally in Chandigarh.
He had said, "I want to say that we respect those a lot who come into the NDA fold…But I can say that if somebody leaves the NDA and even maintains distance we do not remove them from our hearts. This is the nature of the BJP."