From Prominent Malwa Leader to Punjab BJP Chief: Kewal Singh Dhillon emerges as BJP’s new Jatt Sikh face in Punjab; Watch Video
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, May 28, 2026: The Bharatiya Janata Party has appointed Kewal Singh Dhillon as the new President of its Punjab unit, marking a key organisational change ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
Dhillon, a 75-year-old leader from Tallewal village in Barnala district, has had a long and eventful political career spanning both the Congress and the BJP.
He served as the MLA from Barnala for two consecutive terms between 2007 and 2017 as a Congress leader and remained a prominent face in the Malwa region during his tenure.
A seasoned political figure, Dhillon held senior positions in the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee before contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Sangrur, where he was defeated by AAP leader Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer. He again lost to the same opponent in the 2017 Assembly polls, reflecting the shifting political ground in the region.
In June 2022, Dhillon made a significant political shift by joining the BJP along with several former Congress leaders during a major induction in Chandigarh. Since then, he has been actively involved in the party’s state organisation and was serving as vice-president of the Punjab BJP unit prior to this elevation.
His long-standing political association with former Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh is also seen as politically relevant, particularly in the Malwa belt where both leaders share overlapping support networks.
With his appointment, the BJP is expected to focus on experienced leadership and deeper organisational expansion as it prepares for a high-stakes electoral battle in Punjab.
Since parting ways with the Shiromani Akali Dal, the BJP has been working to expand its political appeal beyond its traditional urban Hindu support base in Punjab. With the appointment of a seasoned Jat Sikh leader like Kewal Singh Dhillon, who has deep roots in the Malwa region and years of experience in Congress politics, the party appears to be signalling a push toward wider social and regional outreach in the state.
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