New Delhi, June 3 (IANS) Union Minister of State, Ravneet Singh Bittu, on Wednesday welcomed the appointment of Kewal Singh Dhillon as the new Punjab BJP president, calling it a “happy occasion” for the party and expressing confidence in strengthening the BJP’s presence in the state.

Speaking on Dhillon taking charge, Bittu said the organisational transition marks a significant moment for the party in Punjab.

“Today is a very happy occasion for the BJP and for Punjab. The party has given this responsibility, and as the tenure of Jakhar Sahib, who had been serving as the state president, has been completed, Sardar Kewal Singh Dhillon, who comes from the Malwa region, has been entrusted with this responsibility…” he said.

Highlighting the party’s electoral aspirations in the state, Bittu added, “The lotus is our symbol. The lotus is already in bloom; now it has to bloom in Punjab as well.”

The appointment of Dhillon is being seen as a strategic move ahead of the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections, with the BJP aiming to expand its base in the region.

According to party sources, Kewal Singh Dhillon was chosen after extensive internal deliberations, with three major contenders in the fray. Among them was former Punjab BJP president and MLA Ashwani Sharma, who is considered a prominent Hindu face of the party in the state.

For several years, the BJP in Punjab was led by a Hindu leadership, but ahead of the elections, the party has been working to broaden its appeal by projecting a Jat Sikh face. Dhillon’s appointment is being viewed in that context.

Notably, while Daya Singh Sodhi had served as Punjab BJP president in 1997, Dhillon becomes the first Jat Sikh to be appointed to the post in the party’s current organisational structure in the state.

Several other senior leaders with significant political standing in Punjab were also considered for the position. However, the BJP high command ultimately finalised Kewal Singh Dhillon’s name, signalling a strategic shift in the party’s state leadership approach ahead of the electoral battle.

–IANS

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