- Kewal Singh Dhillon appointed BJP Punjab chief, first Jat Sikh in the role
- Dhillon replaces Sunil Jakhar as state unit president after three years
- Malwa region base ties Dhillon with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and BJP strategy
Kewal Singh Dhillon, a Congress leader who switched to the BJP in 2022, has been named the new chief of the BJP's Punjab unit, becoming the first Jat Sikh to hold the post for the party.
The 76-year-old former MLA from Barnala replaces Sunil Jakhar, whose three-year tenure ends in July.
Like Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Sangrur region in the politically significant Malwa belt of Punjab is also home base of Dhillon.
"Once we form the government in Punjab, we will make it the No. 1 state in all areas. After West Bengal, the lotus will now bloom in Punjab too," Dhillon said after his appointment.
The BJP required a Sikh face who not only hailed from the Malwa region but has a connect with the grassroots. In other words, Dhillon represents a "combo package" for the party, being simultaneously a businessman and an agriculturist.
Within the BJP, there had been growing support for appointing a Sikh face to lead the state unit. Insiders said BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh strongly backed Dhillon's candidature, with RSS Punjab in-charge Mantri Srinivaslu and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini also reportedly supporting the move.
Although Daya Singh Sodhi had previously served as party president in 1997 as a Sikh face, this marks the first instance where the party has entrusted the leadership of Punjab to a Jat Sikh.
Since Punjab's reorganisation in 1966, the state's politics has been heavily dominated by the agrarian Jat Sikh leadership, particularly across the politically crucial Malwa region. Only two of the state's 13 chief ministers have come from outside this dominant fold: Giani Zail Singh, an OBC leader from the Ramgarhia community (1972-1977), and Charanjit Singh Channi, a Dalit Sikh who remained in office for just 111 days (2021-2022).
The Malwa belt - stretching from Patiala and Ludhiana to Bathinda and Ferozepur - accounts for 69 of Punjab's 117 Assembly seats, making it the state's biggest political battleground. For the BJP, making inroads into Malwa is essential if it hopes to emerge as a serious contender in Punjab politics.
Dhillon's Probable Competitors For The Top Post
Former state party chief and MLA Ashwani Sharma, recognised as the party's prominent Hindu face in Punjab, was a top contender. For a considerable period, the state unit had been led by Hindu figures; however, ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, the party was actively seeking a Jat Sikh face.
Union Minister Ravneet Bittu, another Jat Sikh from the Malwa region, was also in the running. However, sources indicate that Bittu's style of public outreach did not entirely align with the party's organisational requirements for the state chief role. Furthermore, as the BJP wishes to maintain a strong Sikh presence at the Centre, the leadership likely intends to keep Bittu in his current role as a Union Minister.
Former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is also a prominent Jat Sikh face, but sources say his advanced age makes him less capable of playing an intensive, active organisational role at this juncture.
Manpreet Singh Badal, another leader hailing from Malwa, was also in the race, though the party reportedly intends to entrust him with a different responsibility in the future. Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi was also considered, but the party remained keen on projecting a Sikh face directly associated with the home stronghold of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
