Badal, who just got disengaged from the hectic tercentenary celebrations of the founding of the Khalsa religion at home, is reportedly on a ``political mission'', said sources close the Chief Minister. Badal was otherwise expected here on Friday, a day prior to some scheduled functions.

The Akalis are the most trusted of the allies of the BJP and Badal is said to be ``around, in case he is of some help to the BJP Government at this difficult hour''.

Sources said Badal's ``personal equation'' with the INDL leader Om Prakash Chautala and particularly with his father Devi Lal could be put to some use for bailing out the Government. However, his contacts are going to be a secretaffair as officials say that the Chief Minister had no programme for today and tomorrow.

Beside aiming to change the mind of Chautala, Badal's presence in the Capital is expected to act as a catalyst in fanning the anti-Congress feelings in political circles. Badal's image as a staunch anti-Congress politician could be of some use in defusing the situation, particularly when the Akali leader has grown in stature by ``converting the tercentenary celebrations into a memorable event, where leaders of all major political parties of the country and foreign dignitaries came over'' .

However, others feel Badal had probably rushed to Delhi to keep his flock of eight members of Parliament together in the event of a trial of strength. Although the Badal camp see no threat to the unity of Akalis over the question of support for the BJP-led Government, he suspects the Congress party to be working overtime to cash in on the internal rift among the Akalis.

Badal's camp are confident of their unity on the issue ofsupport to the BJP, as ``no Akali leader can commit the suicidal mistake of getting branded as a pro-Congress in Punjab'', a close political aide of the Chief Minister told The Indian Express.

Badal faced an open challenge to his authority in the party when during the tercentenary celebrations, Union Minister Surjit Singh Baranala joined the parallel celebrations hosted by the disgruntled Akalis and Sikh hardlines headed by G S Tohra. However, Badal's camp described Barnala's action as a ``posturing by a far-sighted and ambitious politician who does not want to annoy either camp''.

So far, barring Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, the eight member SAD parliamentary party has sworn allegiance to Badal. Chandumajra, a Tohra loyalist, had been openly critical of the SAD leader but did not defy the Whip when it came to supporting the BJP-led coalition on the ratification of imposition of President's Rule in Bihar.