Ludhiana: With the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections approaching, political activity within the BJP has begun generating speculation over its possible candidates. Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon is now being linked to Ludhiana North, with party insiders suggesting that the constituency could be his preferred choice for the upcoming electoral battle.
Although the BJP has not officially announced any candidate, Dhillon’s repeated visits to Ludhiana have attracted attention. His interactions with local party workers, along with the appearance of hoardings and congratulatory posters carrying his name across the constituency, have strengthened speculation about his possible entry into the race. Reports also indicate that he may have arranged a base in the Civil Lines area to facilitate his political activities.
According to sources within the party, an internal assessment has reportedly described Ludhiana North as a favourable constituency for Dhillon. His potential candidature is also being viewed as part of a broader strategy to strengthen the BJP’s position across Ludhiana, which has 14 Assembly segments, including six urban constituencies.
The party’s performance in the 2024 parliamentary elections is believed to have influenced this assessment. BJP candidate Ravneet Singh Bittu secured 53,725 votes in Ludhiana North, considerably ahead of Congress candidate Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who received 31,415 votes from the segment.
BJP leaders believe the state president’s candidature could help the party build on that support. Ludhiana’s position as Punjab’s major business and industrial hub is another consideration, as the party hopes to attract traders and industrialists by strengthening its political outreach.
However, Dhillon’s possible entry could complicate the ambitions of several local leaders who have been preparing for the constituency’s ticket. Senior BJP figures Anil Sarin, Parveen Bansal, Narinder Singh Malli and Mahesh Dutt Sharma are among those associated with the seat and have been conducting political activities to establish their presence.
The BJP has struggled to convert its traditional support into Assembly victories here in recent elections. Parveen Bansal lost the 2012 election by 2,168 votes after securing 46,048 votes. In 2017, he polled 39,732 votes but was defeated by 5,132 votes. His vote count declined to 35,822 in 2022, when the defeat margin widened to 15,282.
The constituency has previously been represented by leaders from both the BJP and Congress. Former BJP leader Harish Bedi had won the seat, while Congress veteran Rakesh Pandey represented it on seven occasions.
Meanwhile, Dhillon’s own electoral journey has largely been centred around Barnala. He won the constituency in 2007 and 2012 while representing the Congress. However, his subsequent contests did not produce similar results. He lost to AAP leader Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer by 2,432 votes in 2017 and finished third in the 2024 Barnala Assembly by-election after joining the BJP, securing 17,958 votes.
Former Union Minister of State Ravneet Bittu’s name has also surfaced in discussions about Ludhiana North, given his performance in the parliamentary elections.
For now, Dhillon’s possible shift from Barnala to Ludhiana remains a matter of political speculation. The final decision will depend on the BJP’s candidate selection process as the party begins shaping its strategy for the 2027 Assembly elections.
