Riding high on its historic victory in West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has now turned its attention to Punjab where the assembly polls are scheduled early next year, with a major organisational overhaul in the state unit expected before May 15.
Party insiders indicate that national BJP president Nitin Nabin is likely to visit Punjab in May to hold crucial meetings with state executive members and district unit chiefs.
The visit is expected to pave the way for sweeping changes in the Punjab unit, as the party gears up for the assembly elections scheduled early next year.
At present the state unit is grappling with leadership crisis as state BJP chief Sunil Jakhar had resigned after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections but continues in the role as the party decides on his successor.
Meanwhile, Ashwani Sharma, who was made working president in July 2025 with expectations of being elevated to the top post, is reportedly unhappy over the delay in a final decision.
The party is also functioning without a state affairs in-charge following the demise of Vijay Rupani in a plane crash in Ahmedabad in June 2025.
{{/usCountry}}The party is also functioning without a state affairs in-charge following the demise of Vijay Rupani in a plane crash in Ahmedabad in June 2025.
{{/usCountry}}Insiders admit that the lack of clear leadership has led to confusion and a visible lack of cohesion between veteran BJP leaders and new entrants who joined the party from other political outfits.
However, the BJP’s resounding win in West Bengal—a state long considered electorally challenging for the party—has boosted confidence within its Punjab ranks. Leaders believe the momentum can be replicated in Punjab, where the party plans to contest the upcoming assembly elections with full force.
The party has already begun testing its growing footprint in the state. A mega rally held in Moga in April, addressed by Union home minister Amit Shah, witnessed a significant turnout. The response not only impressed the central leadership but also energised the state unit, marking one of the largest BJP gatherings in Punjab in recent years.
Drawing parallels between Punjab and West Bengal, Sunil Jakhar said both states shared a “revolutionary character” and faced similar governance challenges. “If West Bengal can give a decisive mandate to the BJP, why not Punjab? Issues like lawlessness and lack of industrialisation are common. The West Bengal victory has given fresh impetus to our plans for Punjab. The state needs a double-engine government to get back on track,” he said.
The party is also encouraged by its performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where it secured 18.56% vote share in Punjab while contesting independently after parting ways with its long-time ally, the Shiromani Akali Dal.
With organisational restructuring on the cards and renewed confidence from its eastern triumph, the BJP is preparing to mount an aggressive campaign in Punjab ahead of the 2027 assembly polls, looking to move well beyond winning just two seats in the 117-member assembly in 2022.