Chandigarh:
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.
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