Kewal Singh Dhillon has seen one of Punjab’s more dramatic political journeys, moving from being a senior Congress face and MLA from Barnala to joining the BJP in 2022 after years of electoral battles. Once influential in Malwa politics, he represented Barnala in the Assembly and later contested the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat, though both his later defeats came against AAP’s Meet Hayer. His shift to BJP signaled not just a party change, but an attempt to stay relevant in Punjab’s fast-changing political landscape. As 2027 approaches, the big question is whether Kewal Singh Dhillon can revive his personal base under a new party banner, or whether voters now see him as part of an earlier political era. Can BJP turn his experience into a comeback in Malwa, or has the ground already moved beyond old loyalties ?
केवल सिंह ढिल्लों ने पंजाब की राजनीति में एक दिलचस्प और बड़ा बदलाव देखा है। वह कभी कांग्रेस का वरिष्ठ चेहरा और बरनाला से विधायक रहे, लेकिन 2022 में कई चुनावी संघर्षों के बाद भाजपा में शामिल हो गए। मालवा राजनीति में कभी प्रभावशाली माने जाने वाले केवल सिंह ढिल्लों ने बरनाला का विधानसभा में प्रतिनिधित्व किया और बाद में संगरूर लोकसभा सीट से भी चुनाव लड़ा, हालांकि उनकी बाद की दोनों हारें आम आदमी पार्टी के मीत हेयर के खिलाफ हुईं। भाजपा में उनका जाना सिर्फ पार्टी बदलना नहीं था, बल्कि तेजी से बदलती पंजाब राजनीति में खुद को प्रासंगिक बनाए रखने की कोशिश भी थी। अब 2027 के करीब बड़ा सवाल यह है कि क्या केवल सिंह ढिल्लों नई पार्टी के झंडे तले अपना व्यक्तिगत आधार फिर खड़ा कर पाएंगे, या मतदाता अब उन्हें पुराने दौर का नेता मानते हैं। क्या भाजपा उनके अनुभव को मालवा में वापसी में बदल पाएगी, या जमीन अब पुरानी निष्ठाओं से आगे निकल चुकी है ?
Kuldip Singh Kahlon was the BJP candidate from Dera Baba Nanak in 2022, contesting in a constituency known for swinging mainly between Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal. He lost that election as Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa of Congress won the seat. But the bigger twist came after the 2024 Lok Sabha election, when Randhawa vacated the seat after becoming MP from Gurdaspur, leading to the Dera Baba Nanak by-polls. Instead of backing Kuldip Singh Kahlon again, BJP fielded Ravi Karan Singh Kahlon, who had earlier fought as an Akali candidate before switching to BJP. Ravi Karan Singh Kahlon also lost, bringing BJP back to square one in the constituency. Now the focus shifts to whether BJP returns to its original 2022 face or tries yet another experiment in 2027. Was sidelining Kuldip Singh Kahlon before the by-polls a costly misread, or has the party already moved past him ? Can he reclaim the ticket, or will Dera Baba Nanak see a third BJP face in three straight elections ?
