B.L. Santhosh’s Punjab Visit Expected to Address BJP’s Organisational Challenges Ahead of 2027 Polls

BJP National General Secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santhosh is scheduled to visit Punjab for two days amid growing organisational activity and reported differences within the state unit ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
Santhosh is expected to assess the party’s organisational structure at the grassroots level and interact with senior leaders and workers. His visit comes at a time when the Punjab BJP is undertaking a major organisational exercise and facing concerns among sections of its long-time cadre.
The BJP has recently announced new state office-bearers and made changes at the district level as part of its efforts to strengthen the organisation ahead of the Assembly elections. The party appointed 16 district presidents in July and subsequently announced further organisational changes.
The reshuffle has, however, led to dissent among some party leaders and workers. Reports have indicated that sections of the old BJP cadre have expressed dissatisfaction over organisational appointments and alleged that long-serving workers were not adequately consulted. BJP national president Nitin Nabin recently asked Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon and state organisation secretary Manthri Srinivasulu to take everyone along while strengthening the party organisation.
Santhosh’s visit is therefore being viewed as an opportunity to listen to different sections of the organisation, understand their concerns and work towards greater coordination within the Punjab unit.
The BJP has set its sights on contesting the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections with an expanded organisational network. Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon has said that the party intends to build strong teams from the district and mandal levels down to individual villages.
Several senior leaders with long associations with Punjab politics and the BJP are also part of the wider organisational landscape. They include Captain Amarinder Singh, Sunil Jakhar, Ravneet Singh Bittu, Manoranjan Kalia, Avinash Rai Khanna, Vijay Sampla, Som Parkash, Mohan Lal, Laxmi Kanta Chawla, Tikshan Sud and Shwait Malik, among others.
At the same time, the BJP has attracted leaders from other political parties over the years, while a section of its traditional cadre has sought greater recognition and organisational opportunities. The question of balancing experienced leaders, long-standing party workers and newer entrants is likely to remain important as the BJP prepares for the 2027 polls.
The BJP has publicly indicated its intention to contest all 117 Assembly seats in Punjab. Party leaders have also maintained that the organisation is preparing for a direct electoral contest across the state.
However, the possibility of future political realignments remains a subject of discussion in Punjab. The BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal have previously shared power in the state, with their alliance governments coming to power in 1997, 2007 and 2012. Whether the two parties enter into any pre-poll or post-poll arrangement in the run-up to the 2027 elections will ultimately depend on political developments and decisions by their respective leaderships.
The BJP has also assigned Satish Poonia an important role in Punjab. Poonia, a senior Rajasthan BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member, has been tasked with assessing organisational concerns in the state and interacting with leaders who have expressed dissatisfaction.
With Santhosh now expected to undertake his Punjab visit, the BJP high command appears focused on resolving organisational differences and creating a more cohesive structure before the electoral battle intensifies.
For the Punjab BJP cadre, the visit could therefore prove significant. A constructive dialogue between the central leadership, state office-bearers, senior leaders and grassroots workers may help the party address internal concerns and develop a coordinated strategy for the 2027 Assembly elections.
— Rajat Kumar Mohindru, Journalist, Jalandhar City
(Views are personal)