Newly appointed Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon is strategising to strengthen the party for the 2027 assembly elections, promising to address key issues and challenge the ruling AAP government.
Key Points
- Kewal Singh Dhillon aims to strengthen the Punjab BJP for the 2027 assembly elections, focusing on improved governance.
- Dhillon criticised the AAP government for alleged misuse of official machinery and failures in maintaining law and order in Punjab.
- The BJP plans to diversify crops in Punjab, promising minimum support price (MSP) for 21 crops to move away from the paddy-wheat cycle.
- Dhillon highlighted the BJP's commitment to inclusivity and organisational discipline, contrasting it with his experience in the Congress party.
- The BJP is prepared to contest all 117 assembly seats in Punjab independently, with the final decision on alliances resting with the central leadership.
Newly appointed Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon on Saturday dubbed his party's performance in the civic polls as "quite good" even as he accused the ruling AAP of indulging in misuse of official machinery in the elections.
During his maiden visit to Phagwara after his elevation as Punjab BJP president, Dhillon asserted that the party's performance will be seen in coming assembly elections in the state in 2027 when the party was all set to form a government in the state the same way it has won election in West Bengal.
BJP's Vision for Punjab's Future
He visited the residence of former Union minister Som Parkash here.
Pointing out the "high-handedness" of the AAP in the civic polls, Dhillon said that in Barnala, his home turf, a BJP candidate was allegedly assaulted and head injuries inflicted on him while the papers of another candidate were torn.
People will give a befitting reply to these excesses in the assembly polls and teach AAP a lesson by showing it the door and enthroning BJP to power, he asserted.
He said that Punjabis were fed up and disillusioned with AAP for its "miserable failure" on all fronts, especially on law and order.
The Aam Aadmi Party won more than 48 per cent of 1,977 municipal wards in the Punjab civic body elections, the results of which were declared on Friday.
AAP won 958 wards, while the Congress was in second place with 397 wards, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) won 192 wards and BJP 172 wards, as per the Punjab State Election Commission data.
Independent candidates registered victories in 251 wards, while the BSP won seven wards.
Dhillon's Plans for Party Growth
Giving details of his plans about the party in the state, Dhillon said he will reach out to people on a war footing to apprise them of the party's programmes and plans.
Promising diversification of crops in Punjab, Dhillon declared that the state will be rid of the paddy-wheat cycle and minimum support price will be guaranteed on all 21 crops.
If Haryana, under the BJP rule, can give farmers MSP on 25 crops, why not Punjab, he asked.
After forming the government in the state, the BJP will give MSP on pulses, maize and other crops that farmers wanted, he assured.
We will lift all the produce of farmers at MSP, he declared.
Punjab is an agrarian state and the Center was already releasing Rs 33,000 to 35,000 crore for providing MSP on two crops of wheat and paddy, he said.
As paddy was now being grown by Andhra Pradesh and other consumer states, it was a time for Punjab to get out of this water-guzzling crop since rice was not our staple diet, he remarked.
Focus on 2027 Assembly Elections
In Hoshiarpur, Dhillon said the party's primary objective is to form the government in the state in the 2027 assembly elections, asserting that efforts are already underway to strengthen the organisation and prepare a comprehensive strategy.
Dhillon was speaking to reporters after visiting the residence of former Union minister Vijay Sampla here, where he met party leaders and workers.
He described Sampla as a close associate and a senior leader of the party, adding that his experience would be utilised in shaping the BJP's roadmap in Punjab.
Criticism of the AAP Government
Targeting the AAP government, Dhillon alleged that Punjab was grappling with serious challenges, including the spread of drugs and gangsterism, while the state's financial condition was also "deteriorating". He claimed that Punjab was under a heavy debt burden and that the promises of "education and health revolution" had not translated into tangible results on the ground.
Responding to remarks by former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh regarding his appointment, Dhillon said he was a senior leader whom he respected. He said appointments in the BJP are made through an established organisational process and that decisions are taken by the party's high command.
Dhillon said he himself was not aware of his appointment in advance and came to know about it only on the day it was announced.
He added that he had worked in the Congress for 35 years but found a significant difference between the organisational structures of the two parties, describing the BJP as a disciplined and cadre-based organisation.
He also asserted that there was no factionalism within the BJP and that leaders and workers function collectively without considerations of caste or divisions, emphasising the party's commitment to inclusivity.
Praising former state BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, Dhillon said the party's vote share increased from around 8 per cent to 19 per cent during his tenure, reflecting organisational growth in the state.
On a alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal, he said the BJP was prepared to contest all 117 assembly seats in Punjab on its own, while any final decision on alliances would be taken by the central leadership.
Meanwhile, Dhillon visited Radha Soami Satsang Beas in Amritsar where he met sect chief Gurinder Singh Dhillon.
