“Dhillon suits a rigorously constructed political template. He’s a Sikh and a Jat. He’s from the politically decisive Malwa belt. He has the funds, networks and long-standing connections with Punjab’s conventional political elite,” says Dr Kanwalpreet Kaur, Division of Political Science, Sector 10, DAV College, Chandigarh.
“However past that social arithmetic, Dhillon was by no means actually seen as a distinguished politician in Punjab, even throughout his many years in Congress.”
For many of Dillon’s political profession, he was seen as a rich businessman and politician with institutional utility quite than a preferred chief.
Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Walling stated the events “fantasizing” to come back to energy in Punjab wouldn’t have steady leaders of their very own.
“@BJP4India’s appointment of @KewalDhillonPB as president of @BJP4Punjab speaks volumes concerning the present state of the get together in Punjab. A celebration that’s ‘fantasizing’ about forming a authorities in Punjab can’t discover the correct individual to guide the state from its personal steady membership,” he wrote on X.
“The get together is left with no choice however to outsource even the state president for the second yr in a row. First it was Mr. @sunilkjakhar and now Mr. Kewal Singh Dhillon, each from the Congress,” he added.
.@BJP4India’s appointment of @KewalDhillonPB as @BJP4Punjab president speaks volumes concerning the present state of the get together in Punjab. Political events which might be “fantasizing” to type a authorities in Punjab can’t discover a appropriate individual to guide the state from amongst their very own steady members.
Those that remained on the get together…— Amarinder Singh Raja Waring (@RajaBrar_INC) Could 28, 2026
Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari additionally harshly criticized the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering’s resolution to rent solely a former Congressman as head of state.
“It’s an eloquent remark by @BJP4India in Punjab that they’ll solely discover former Congress MPs to nominate them as state president,” he wrote on X.
An eloquent remark from Punjab @BJP4India that they’ll solely discover former Congress MPs to nominate them as state president 😂😂😂😂😂😂 @anshumalini3 @jomalhotra https://t.co/vzWTUXfFKu
—Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) Could 28, 2026
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has additionally referred to many members of the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering’s Congress because the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering’s ‘Congress faction’.
Reacting to Dhillon’s appointment, Bhagwant Mann mocked the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering’s alternative on Congratulations to Mr. Dhillon. My condolences to Mr. Sunil Jakhar. Could God give energy to Mr. Ravneet Bittu, Mr. Manpreet Badal and Mr. Fateh Jan. Bajwa, Tarun Chugh and Ashwani Sharma ought to endure this humiliation. ”
Congratulations to Kewal Dhillon, the BJP Congress chief who grew to become the BJP president after defeating the individuals of Barnala in 2017-2019 and 2024. My deepest condolences to Sunil Jakarji. God bless Mr. Ravneet Bittu, Mr. Manpreet Badal Fatejun Bajwa Tarun Chu, Mr. Ashwini Sharma and others.
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) Could 28, 2026
Harjeshwar Singh, professor of historical past at SGGS Faculty Sector 26, Chandigarh, stated Dhillon’s politics had at all times represented a “conventional political tradition of sectarianism, advocacy, sycophancy, backroom maneuvering, patronage and coterie networking” – precisely the model of politics that many Punjabis had turn into disillusioned with.
“Paradoxically, nonetheless, that is the very political inventory that the BJP imported in bulk after its break up with the Shiromani Akali Dal. From former MPs to rejected Akalis, the Punjab unit of the BJP is more and more resembling a rehabilitation heart for political remnants quite than a political get together forging a brand new ideological and organizational id within the state,” Singh stated.
Nevertheless, the BJP leaders appear assured. Union minister Ravneet Bittu and BJP MLA Ashwani Sharma congratulated Dhillon and stated the get together will definitely transfer ahead underneath his management.
Additionally learn: Honey Singh urges Punjab youth to give up medicine in sudden alliance with Bharatiya Janata Social gathering
strategic calculation
By appointing him as Punjab state BJP chief, the get together seems to be making broader strategic calculations forward of the 2027 meeting elections.
Consultants stated Mr. Dhillon ticks the bins of crucial think about Punjabi politics – being a Sikh. Different “{qualifications}” he shares with outgoing chief minister Jakhar embody being a Jat, the dominant agricultural caste in Punjab politics, and being from the politically decisive Malwa belt.
Congress chief Sukhjinder Randhawa, in a reshuffle on Thursday, reminded that Jakhar left the Congress as a result of the get together didn’t choose him as Punjab chief minister as a result of he’s not a Sikh.
“What about the truth that the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering sacked you earlier than you accomplished your time period? Is not the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering additionally anti-Hindu? Are you leaving the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering over this?” Randhawa wrote to X.
. Hearty congratulations to @KewalDhillonPB ji on his appointment as the top of @BJP4Punjab.
However I might additionally prefer to ask a query to Grandpa Pradhan, you stated that the Congress didn’t appoint you because the Prime Minister as a result of you’re a Hindu, so that you joined the BJP.
However the BJP has proven your management…
— Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa (@Sukhjinder_INC) Could 28, 2026
Harijeshwar Singh stated the ‘Dhillon experiment’ solely revealed the boundaries of the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering’s Punjab technique.
“Just lately, the saffron get together has tried caste- and community-based social engineering in Punjab, making an attempt to construct coalitions amongst some city Hindu, Dalit and non-Jat teams. Nevertheless, with little seen electoral breakthrough, the get together now seems to be reverting to Punjab’s default mode of politics: embracing an influential Jat-Sikh face within the hope of symbolic acceptance,” Harjeshwar Singh instructed ThePrint.
“If Dhillon is certainly capable of switch important Jat-Sikh help to the BJP, one would anticipate him to keep up relevance in his personal political yard first. Quite the opposite, he has repeatedly misplaced elections from the very heartland of Jat-Sikh politics. The argument that he can immediately turn into the BJP’s bridge to rural Sikh Punjab seems politically unconvincing,” he added.
rupture with parliament
Politically, Dhillon’s path in Congress adopted a reasonably predictable Punjabi sample.
He was initially seen as a “money-making candidate” who may finance campaigns, construct native organizational constructions, and stay helpful to the get together institution.
Over time, he developed affect in Barnala and elements of the Malwa belt, ultimately turning into an MLA from Barnala twice in 2007 and 2012. He has additionally been promoted as Senior Vice-Chairman of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Nevertheless, he was by no means elected as a minister.
Dhillon’s political place remained intently associated to Captain Amarinder Singh.
He was thought of one in every of Amarinder’s supporters and remained firmly in his camp through the factional wars throughout the Punjab Congress, particularly throughout Amarinder’s protracted battle with Navjot Singh Sidhu and sections of the Congress excessive command.
However even on the top of his time in Congress, Dillon was by no means perceived as an unbiased powerhouse.
He was primarily seen as a part of Amarinder’s prolonged ecosystem, and was influential because of his proximity to energy, assets, and networking skill quite than his private political marketing campaign or mass following.
I want to lengthen my heartfelt congratulations to Mr. S. Kewal Singh Dhillon Ji on his appointment because the President of the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering, Punjab.
I want him nice success in strengthening the get together throughout Punjab. @BTC4India @BTC4Punjab pic.twitter.com/0m9sseNLwG
— Capt. Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) Could 28, 2026
Dhillon’s electoral decline started with the rise of the Aam Aadmi Social gathering (AAP) in Punjab. In 2017, he misplaced the Barnala meeting seat to AAP’s Gurmeet Singh Meet Khayer. In 2019, the Congress pitted him towards Bhagwant Mann from Sangrur within the Lok Sabha elections, however he misplaced once more.
The ultimate rift with the Congress got here forward of the 2022 Punjab Meeting elections when the get together rejected Barnala’s candidature and as an alternative selected Manish Bansal, son of former Union Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal.
Dillon brazenly rebelled and was ultimately expelled from Congress for his anti-party actions. He joined the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering in June 2022, particularly after Captain Amarinder Singh himself was already aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering, particularly after the collapse of the Punjab Lok Congress experiment. In some ways, Dhillon has merely adopted Amarinder’s camp into the BJP camp.
The BJP quickly began utilizing him as a part of its makes an attempt to construct a post-Akali Dal political construction in Punjab. In the identical yr, he was fielded because the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering candidate from Sangrur within the Lok Sabha referendum, however misplaced to Simranjit Singh Mann of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar).
After Barnala MLA Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer gained from Sangrur within the 2024 common elections, Dhillon was contested by the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering within the by-election to the Barnala Meeting, however misplaced to Congress candidate Kuldeep Singh Dhillon.
Enterprise background
Born in Talewal village close to Barnala in Punjab’s Malwa area, Dhillon selected enterprise over schooling. He left for the US earlier than graduating from SD Faculty Barnala.
However I got here again to start out a enterprise. His first firm, Dillon Brothers, was included in 1979 and the household has constructed up a major industrial footprint in Punjab and Chandigarh over time.
Dhillon’s enterprise has come to be related to a number of ‘firsts’ in Chandigarh and Punjab, though it was began through the tough occasions of Punjab’s militancy within the Eighties.
His firm, Dillon Cool Drinks and Drinks, launched PepsiCo to India, turning into the nation’s first and largest franchise. Tewari as soon as publicly defended Dhillon, recalling, “He introduced PepsiCo to Punjab within the period of terrorism when nobody was prepared to speculate a penny in Punjab.”
It established a cinema in Chandigarh in 1980 and was redeveloped in 2000 as Chandigarh’s first mall-style leisure advanced.
The property was leased to an organization referred to as E-Metropolis, which launched Enjoyable Republic Mall, which rapidly grew to become a landmark in Chandigarh’s city tradition. It was residence to the town’s first McDonald’s retailer and symbolized the arrival of multiplexes and mall tradition within the space.
Nevertheless, the connection between Dhillon Group and E-Metropolis ultimately soured.
The undertaking rapidly grew to become mired in controversy. In 2007, the Chandigarh administration cracked down on the enterprise for alleged constructing violations and different regulatory violations.
The problem snowballed into a serious controversy involving allegations of unlawful building and misuse of economic area.
Dhillon was later named as an accused by the CBI in reference to this case. Nevertheless, the Punjab and Haryana Excessive Courtroom ultimately quashed the case towards him.
Nonetheless, the controversy has tarnished the shine of one in every of Chandigarh’s most high-profile industrial tasks. By 2016, Enjoyable Republic lastly closed, marking the top of what was as soon as projected as an emblem of the town’s new consumption period.
Over time, Dillon additionally grew to become identified for his huge wealth. Within the 2012 Punjab Meeting elections, he was one of many richest candidates within the state, declaring belongings of effectively over Rs 100 crore. In 2022, it declared greater than 212 million rupees.
(Edited by Katyal Sugita)
Additionally learn: Three law enforcement officials killed in three months: Punjab police examine ties between outfit and Pakistan that ‘might not exist’
