Keeping pace with the times in changing political scenarios, S.S. Ahluwalia is known to be an expert in shifting his loyalties as per the needs of the hour. When he was ousted from Congress, he turned saffron, rose the political ladder along with Sushma Swaraj, as times changed he got close to Jaitley and then gradually came to be counted among the courtesans of Advani. When Advani lost the post of Leader of Opposition, a worried Ahluwalia met Ahmed Patel and submitted a proposal that the way Sonia Gandhi has a Cabinet rank while being Chairperson of the UPA, in a similar manner Advani too should be given
the rank considering that he is the Chairperson of the BJP parliamentary party. Ahmed agreed and he also got the proposal approved by the Congress high command. But it was at the eleventh hour that on the directions of the Sangh, Nitin Gadkari did not agree to the idea. The reasoning of Sangh and Gadkari was one – this would give an impression that Advani was still eager for a post. So Advani missed out on getting a Cabinet rank.