Kewal Singh Dhillon appointed Punjab BJP chief, triggers political row

Speculation grows over Capt. Amarinder Singh's potential return to Congress. Meanwhile, the BJP has appointed former Congress leader Kewal Singh Dhillon as its new Punjab unit president, triggering a sharp political war of words in the state.

Political circles in Punjab are buzzing with speculation over the possible return of former Punjab Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Captain Amarinder Singh to the Congress party ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. The discussion gained momentum after Congress leader and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said on Wednesday, "Captain Amarinder Singh is a senior leader and was a veteran leader of the Congress party. He is in touch and can talk to us..."

Kewal Singh Dhillon's Appointment Triggers Political Spat

On Thursday, the BJP appointed Kewal Singh Dhillon as the new president of its Punjab unit. The appointment of Kewal Singh Dhillon as the new Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president triggered a sharp political war of words in the state, with leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress, and BJP trading barbs over the move. Kewal Singh Dhillon is a former Congress leader who served as a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly (2012-17) for the constituency of Barnala. Dhillon joined the BJP on June 4, 2022.

Taking a jibe at the BJP after the appointment of Dhillon as the new state BJP president, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the party has rewarded a "defeated leader" while taking a dig at several senior leaders in the state unit. He launched a sharp attack on Dhillon, referring to his repeated electoral defeats and extending "sympathies" to senior BJP leaders, including Sunil Jakhar and Ravneet Singh Bittu, over what he termed as "humiliation." In a post on X, Mann said, "Congratulations to Congress-turned-BJP leader Kewal Singh Dhillon, who was defeated by the people of Barnala in 2017, 2019, and 2024, on becoming the BJP president. Heartfelt sympathies to Sunil Jakhar. May God give strength to Ravneet Bittu, Manpreet Badal, Fatehjang Bajwa, Tarun Chugh, and Ashwani Sharma to bear this humiliation." (ANI)

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