Casualty Of Punjab BJP's Kewal Singh Dhillion Move: Internal Cohesion

A rift has cracked open in the Bharatiya Janata Party in Punjab, months before the Assembly elections.

The appointment of Kewal Singh Dhillon as the state unit chief has brought simmering tensions to the surface. The belligerent: Amarinder Singh, the former Congress poster boy in Punjab, who opposed his appointment.

The harried party quickly rushed to defuse the tension, involving the central leadership to pacify the veteran. Singh was recently summoned by the high command. He met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and senior politician JP Nadda to discuss "organisational and state-related" issues.

With the outreach, the party has tried to nip infighting in the bud.

The incident is a symptom of dissatisfaction that has been brewing within the party. The BJP's old guard appears increasingly uneasy with the pace and direction of recent changes. The removal of former state president Sunil Jakhar and acting president Ashwani Sharma has exacerbated discontent and exposed fault lines.

The party tried to remedy the discontent with the right messaging: elevating long-time loyalist Tarun Chugh to the Rajya Sabha, a move widely interpreted as a signal that loyalty and long-term commitment will be prioritised.

Also read: How Ex-Congress Leader Kewal Singh Dhillon Emerged As BJP's Top Choice For Its Punjab Unit

Chugh's elevation underscores the party's emphasis on rewarding its grassroots leadership and strengthening its organisational backbone. In contrast, the exclusion of Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, despite his high-profile switch from the Congress ahead of the general elections, points to a cautious approach.

The timing of these decisions is crucial. The BJP aims to contest the Punjab Assembly election alone, without the crutches of the Shiromani Akali Dal. The shift towards a solo political strategy demands a cohesive and disciplined party structure, and infighting is toxic for that goal.

By appointing Kewal Singh Dhillion, the party has tried to attract the sizeable Jat Sikh community. At the same time, with a focus on consolidating the non-Jat vote bank, the party has deployed Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini to strengthen outreach.

Key Challenges Before The BJP

Despite its calibrated strategy, the BJP faces significant internal and structural challenges in Punjab.

The increasing prominence of turncoats has led to resentment among long-serving workers and leaders, who feel sidelined.

Most of the top leaders are imports from the Congress, including Kewal Singh Dhillon, Captain Amarinder Singh, and Sunil Jakhar.

Many are lateral entries from the Shiromani Akali Dal. For instance, Amarjit Singh Bony Ajnala, Ravi Karan Kahlon, and Parminder Singh Brar.

This influx has broadened the BJP's reach. The casualty of the strategy: internal cohesion.

Managing the competing ambitions of veteran leaders and recent entrants remains a delicate task, as failure to strike this balance could weaken the BJP's organisational strength.

Also read: Will BJP's Bet On Jat Sikh Leader Pay Off In Punjab 2027 Elections?

First Sign of Strain? Jagmohan Raju Seeks to Step Back

Punjab BJP Vice President and General Secretary Jagmohan Raju has offered to step down from his organisational role, marking the first visible sign of internal strain.

Also read: Bhupinder Hooda's Remark Fuels Buzz Of Amarinder Singh's Congress Crossover

He shared on social media that he has requested the party leadership to relieve him of his responsibilities for the time being. A former IAS officer who took voluntary retirement (VRS), he has been serving the BJP in various organisational roles for the past four years.

He stated that he now wants to focus on key issues such as education for underprivileged children, constitutional rights of Scheduled Castes and Sikhs, religious conversions, the drug menace, Punjabi language promotion, river water disputes, and broader concerns related to Amritsar and Punjab's heritage.

Sources say he was also in the race to become the party chief in Punjab.