Kewal Singh Dhillon Takes Over As Punjab BJP Chief Ahead Of 2027 Polls

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday appointed 76-year-old Kewal Singh Dhillon as the new president of its Punjab unit, marking a significant organisational shift as the party prepares to contest the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections independently. Dhillon, a former Congress MLA from Barnala who joined the BJP in 2022, is also the first Jat Sikh to hold the post in the state unit.

Kewal Singh Dhillon formally assumed charge at a ceremony held at the Punjab BJP headquarters in Chandigarh, which combined religious rituals including ‘ardaas’ and ‘puja’. The event also featured the symbolic installation of a portrait of Maharaja Ranjit Singh inside the state president’s office, reflecting an attempt to blend regional identity with party messaging.

In his first address after taking office, Dhillon outlined a broad political and economic agenda focused on farmers’ welfare, industrial development, and tackling the drug menace in Punjab. He said the BJP would prioritise crop diversification and ensure assured procurement support for alternative crops such as pulses and maize, drawing comparisons with Haryana’s procurement policies.

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Dhillon also emphasized industrial revival in Punjab, stating that the state needed greater focus on high-technology sectors, including semiconductor manufacturing. He said his earlier efforts had helped bring agro-based industries to the region and argued that Punjab must move towards value-added production to strengthen its economic base. He expressed confidence that the BJP would form the next government in Punjab in the 2027 Assembly elections.

The new state president also raised concerns over drug addiction, calling it a major social crisis affecting families across Punjab. He promised a strong crackdown on drug abuse alongside development-focused governance initiatives. His remarks came as senior BJP leaders, including Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu and outgoing state chief Sunil Jakhar, shared the stage at the event.

Outgoing state BJP president Sunil Jakhar welcomed the leadership transition, calling it part of a “healthy and evolving” organisational process and reaffirmed his support for Dhillon. However, internal dynamics within the party were also visible, with some long-time leaders expressing concerns about representation and recognition amid the growing prominence of recent entrants from other political backgrounds.

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