BJP to appoint home-grown Hindu face to lead party’s Punjab unit

Sources within the party, privy to the development, said that an in-principle decision has been made during preliminary discussions on Punjab’s political affairs, focusing on reconnecting with its traditional urban and Hindu voter base.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to appoint a Hindu leader with strong roots in Punjab as its new state chief, with the announcement likely to come in the first week of March.

The decision comes amidst growing concerns among the grassroots workers, who have felt side-lined by the party’s recent preference for leaders who switched from other political outfits. (HT File)

Sources within the party, privy to the development, said that an in-principle decision has been made during preliminary discussions on Punjab’s political affairs, focusing on reconnecting with its traditional urban and Hindu voter base.

As per sources in the party, former MP Avinash Rai Khanna, former state president Ashwani Sharma, and state general secretary Tarun Chugh are the top contenders in the race with vice-president Subhash Sharma, a former student leader, as a dark horse. The upcoming appointment is expected to set the tone for the BJP’s strategy in Punjab for the 2027 state polls.

The decision comes amidst growing concerns among the grassroots workers, who have felt side-lined by the party’s recent preference for leaders who switched from other political outfits. This dissatisfaction has been particularly evident in the tenure of Sunil Jakhar, a former Congress veteran who joined the BJP after the 2022 assembly elections. He was appointed state president in 2023.

During Jakhar’s tenure many home-grown BJP leaders expressed discontent even though, under his leadership, the party secured more than 18% vote share in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

However, things went downhill from here and Jakhar stopped attending party meetings three months ago. Resultantly the party fought recent assembly bypolls and civic body polls without active participation of the state chief. He has reportedly already requested to be relieved of his responsibilities as state chief.

“This will also put to rest speculation about the party opting for a Sikh face for the top position. Acknowledging the contributions of seasoned, home-grown leaders who have stood by the party through thick and thin is essential for revitalising the organizational setup,” a former BJP MLA said adding, “The move to prioritise grassroots leaders could re-energize the party’s rank and file.”

Another significant factor driving this decision is the BJP’s underwhelming response to the membership drive in Punjab. Despite ambitious targets of enrolling 30 lakh members, the party has managed to register only 8 lakh members so far, making Punjab the only state where BJP’s organisational polls have been delayed.