BJP Announces Kewal Singh Dhillon as Panjab Party President

June

2026

In a surprise even to party insiders, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced 76-year-old Kewal Singh Dhillon as the new president of the Panjab state unit. Dhillon was earlier with Indian National Congress (INC) and is a former Member of Legislative Assembly from Barnala. By appointing Dhillon, BJP has sought to project a Jatt Sikh face while keeping its Hindu connect and Dalit (marginalized class) outreach. It has chosen a leader from Sangrur district which is Aam Aadmi Party Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s home turf. It intends to leverage Dhillon's proximity with former INC Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to make inroads into south Panjab—a section where the party struggles electorally. However, Captain Amarinder stated he was not consulted over the choice and is not impressed with the appointment. Outgoing BJP state president Sunil Jakhar wished Dhillon well. Dhillon’s elevation after replacing former INC leader Jakhar has reinforced a growing perception within sections of the BJP cadre that the party is increasingly relying on political imports rather than nurturing its traditional leadership. Yet, there has been little visible rebellion. Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini paid a courtesy visit to Baba Gurinder Singh Dhillon, the chief of the Radha Soami Satsang Beas, at the Dera (sect) headquarters in Beas, Amritsar district. Dera Beas boasts of millions of followers cutting across religious lines, drawing heavily from both rural as well as urban Sikhs and Hindus. CM Saini has also been meeting farmer unions and businessmen from Panjab to assure them that when BJP comes to power, all their issues will be solved. Alongside, Panjabi Singer Hirdesh Singh alias Yo Yo Honey Singh met BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh to discuss Panjab’s growing drug crisis. Both urged the state’s youth to stay away from narcotics and rebuild their lives. In a video message shared by the Chugh's office after the meeting, Honey Singh invoked the damage drugs are doing to families and called for a response to 'save Panjab' from the drug crisis. Chugh added, 'If Honey Singh can come out of that swamp, and every child of Punjab can come out, if Honey Singh can come back, and children, you can also become Honey Singh' (earlier coverage).