From Pepsi to politics: All about BJP's new Punjab Chief Kewal Singh Dhillon

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday appointed veteran leader and industrialist Kewal Singh Dhillon as its new Punjab president, replacing Sunil Jakhar, as the party sharpens its strategy ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

Dhillon, 75, has had an unusual journey from entrepreneur to politician. During Punjab’s militancy-hit years in the 1980s, when industries were reluctant to invest in the state and capital was fleeing, Dhillon played a key role in bringing PepsiCo’s bottling operations to Punjab. His former Congress colleague Manish Tewari had once remarked that being a Congressman in Punjab during that period was practically an invitation to assassination.

A native of Tallewal village in Barnala district, Dhillon first established himself in business before entering frontline politics. Over the years, the Dhillon Group expanded into beverages, hospitality and real estate, helping him emerge as one of Punjab’s prominent industrialists.

Though Dhillon did not complete his formal education beyond BA Part-I at SD College Barnala, he built a large business empire. According to his 2024 election affidavit, his assets exceed Rs 212 crore, including luxury properties in Delhi, Dubai and Spain, apart from agricultural land in Punjab.

Politically, Dhillon spent most of his career in the Congress and was considered close to former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. He represented Barnala as MLA from 2007 to 2017 before losing to AAP leader Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer. He later suffered defeats in the 2019 Sangrur Lok Sabha election and subsequent electoral contests, weakening his electoral standing.

After the Congress collapsed in Punjab in 2022, Dhillon joined the BJP along with several loyalists of Amarinder Singh and was appointed Punjab BJP vice-president. Despite losing both the Sangrur Lok Sabha bypoll and the 2024 Barnala assembly by-election, the BJP has now entrusted him with the party’s top organisational role in the state.

Dhillon’s appointment reflects the BJP’s broader political recalibration in Punjab after its split from the Shiromani Akali Dal. By elevating a Jat Sikh leader with influence in the Malwa belt, the party aims to expand its appeal beyond its traditional urban Hindu voter base.

His rise also carries symbolic significance as his political base in Barnala falls in the Sangrur-Malwa region, considered a stronghold of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the Aam Aadmi Party. The BJP’s move signals an attempt to directly challenge AAP in rural Punjab.

Party insiders said Dhillon’s elevation received backing from key organisational leaders, including BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh, who had long advocated appointing a Sikh face to lead the Punjab unit. Meanwhile, Sunil Jakhar is expected to continue playing a major role in the BJP’s Punjab campaign strategy.

With Punjab politics moving towards a multi-cornered contest in 2027, Dhillon now faces the challenge of helping the BJP build an independent political identity in a state where the party has historically depended on alliances.