BJP Appoints New State Chiefs For Delhi, Punjab, Haryana
These appointments come at a time when the BJP is focusing on consolidating its base in northern India.
advertisement
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced new state presidents for Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana. Hasrh Malhotra has been appointed as the Delhi BJP chief, Kewal Singh Dhillon as the Punjab BJP chief, and Archana Gupta as the Haryana BJP chief. These appointments replace Virendra Sachdeva in Delhi, Sunil Jakhar in Punjab, and Mohan Lal Badoli in Haryana, respectively. The changes were made public on 28 May 2026.
According to The Indian Express, Kewal Singh Dhillon joined the BJP in June 2022, following the Aam Aadmi Party’s victory in the Punjab Assembly elections. Dhillon, a seasoned politician and industrialist from Barnala, previously served as a Congress MLA from 2012 to 2017 and as senior vice-president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee.
Details provided in the announcement indicate that Dhillon contested the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections from Barnala on a Congress ticket but was defeated by AAP’s Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer. In the 2019 general election, he contested the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat as a Congress candidate and lost to Bhagwant Mann, then AAP state president.
Coverage revealed that Hasrh Malhotra will now lead the BJP in Delhi, succeeding Virendra Sachdeva. Malhotra’s appointment is part of the party’s broader strategy to strengthen its organisational structure in the national capital ahead of upcoming electoral challenges.
“The ruling BJP Thursday announced a major overhaul with new state chiefs in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, naming Hasrh Malhotra, Kewal Singh Dhillon, and Archana Gupta, respectively,” the official statement said.
In Haryana, Archana Gupta replaces Mohan Lal Badoli as the state BJP chief. The party leadership has not released additional biographical details about Gupta at this time, but further information is expected as she assumes her new responsibilities.
Analysis showed that these appointments come at a time when the BJP is focusing on consolidating its organisational base in northern India. The party has made similar changes in other states in recent months to prepare for future electoral contests.
The leadership transition in Punjab is particularly notable, as Dhillon’s entry into the BJP followed a period of significant political realignment in the state. His previous roles in the Congress and his background as an industrialist are seen as factors that could influence the BJP’s strategy in Punjab as developments unfold.
“Dhillon had represented the constituency as a Congress MLA from 2012 to 2017 during the SAD-BJP alliance government in Punjab,” the statement noted.
Further updates on the responsibilities and immediate plans of the new state chiefs are anticipated in the coming weeks as the party implements its new organisational structure.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.