Sunil Jakhar appointed as new chief of Punjab BJP. What next?

The speculation surrounding the leadership of the Punjab Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to an end with the announcement of Sunil Jakhar as the new Chief at the BJP Headquarters in Delhi by BJP National President, Jagat Parkash Nadda. The decision to replace the then BJP Punjab Chief, Ashwani Sharma, before the 2024 Parliament Elections had been the subject of much discussion and rumours. While there were initially speculations that Sharma would retain his position until the upcoming elections, the party decided to make a change and appointed Sunil Jakhar as the new BJP Punjab Chief.

Following his appointment, Sunil Jakhar visited the holy city of Amritsar, where he paid his respects at Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple), Shri Durgiana Mandir, and Sri Ram Tirath Temple. He was accompanied by BJP National General Secretary, Tarun Chug, Former Chief Minister of Gujarat and In-charge of Punjab Political Affairs, Vijay Rupani, Chairman of the National Commission for S.C., Vijay Sampla, Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, Iqbal Singh Layallpura, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, and other senior BJP leaders. The BJP High Command has high hopes for the newly appointed BJP Punjab Chief, Sunil Jakhar, given his political skills.

Sunil Jakhar joined the BJP last year and is known for his skillful oratory. He has previously served as a member of the Punjab Assembly, Member of Parliament in Lok Sabha, and State President of the Congress party. The BJP High Command expresses confidence in Sunil Jakhar and hopes that more Congress leaders will join the BJP in the future, as it believes some Congress leaders may leave their party and switch to the BJP. The BJP High Command acknowledges that everything is fair in the game of politics, and it is hopeful that Sunil Jakhar's charismatic leadership will contribute to the victory of BJP candidates in the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Committees Elections, and the 2024 Parliament Elections, considering his deep understanding of the demographic conditions in Punjab.

Experienced BJP leaders who have previously served as Cabinet Ministers, such as Manoranjan Kalia, Master Mohan Lal, Dr. Baldev Chawla, Prof. Laxmi Kanta Chawla, Tikshan Sood, Surjit Singh Jayani, and others, will be accommodated in state politics or national politics. These leaders possess valuable experience in organisational matters and have a strong voter base in their respective areas. Similarly, there is speculation about the possible return of former BJP Minister, Madan Mohan Mittal, who resigned from the BJP in 2022 and joined the S.A.D. (B). BJP hardcore workers argue that if the BJP High Command is open to leaders from other political parties joining the BJP, then there should be no hesitation in welcoming back Madan Mohan Mittal and other senior BJP leaders who have left the party to join other political parties.

During his visit to Amritsar, Former Chief Minister of Gujarat and In-charge of Punjab Political Affairs, Vijay Rupani, made it clear that the BJP will contest all thirteen parliamentary seats in Punjab in the upcoming 2024 elections. Similarly, S.A.D. (B) Chief, Sukhbir Singh Badal, stated that their party has formed an alliance with the B.S.P. It is unpredictable what may happen next in the chessboard of politics, as friends become foes and foes become friends.

Rumours suggest that the new BJP Punjab President, Sunil Jakhar, may announce a new team of state office bearers with the inclusion of fresh faces. There is speculation about potential changes in the current district presidents and state executive members. Previously, several senior BJP leaders were overlooked and relieved of their posts due to reasons known to the past state president. Sunil Jakhar, as the BJP State President, will need to ensure a balanced team that gives proper representation, respect, and honour to all senior BJP leaders who have been dedicatedly working for the party for several decades, particularly during the days of militancy.

Coming from a farmer family, Sunil Jakhar, the BJP State President, can effectively campaign in the upcoming assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, which can yield positive results for the BJP in terms of vote bank.
In the game of politics or chess, nothing is truly "impossible." Circumstances change constantly in politics, and it is impossible to predict pre-alliances and post-alliances. The BJP High Command aims to win the maximum number of parliament seats from Punjab, and the theory of alliances may play a crucial role in achieving this goal in the future.

Authored by:
Rajat Kumar Mohindru,
Senior Journalist,
Jalandhar City,