Raghav Chadha, Harbhajan Singh get key roles as BJP sets up panels for 2027 Punjab assembly polls

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has begun preparing for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections by setting up two key committees, with former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Raghav Chadha, Harbhajan Singh and Sandeep Pathak among those assigned responsibilities.

Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon on Sunday constituted the State Manifesto Committee and the State Chargesheet Committee, appointing former state president and Rajya Sabha MP Avinash Rai Khanna to head the former and former state president Sunil Jakhar to lead the latter.

The appointments bring several prominent political figures, including leaders who joined the BJP after leaving the AAP, into the party’s election preparations.

The manifesto panel will work on the party’s electoral roadmap, while the chargesheet committee has been tasked with preparing a document to hold the incumbent government accountable.

Raghav Chadha, Harbhajan Singh in manifesto panel

Khanna will chair the 13-member State Manifesto Committee. Its members include Manpreet Singh Badal, Ashwani Sharma, Manoranjan Kalia, Som Parkash, Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, Ashwani Sekhri, Satnam Singh Sandhu, Raghav Chadha, Rajinder Gupta, Harbhajan Singh, Parampal Kaur and advocate H.S. Phoolka.

Chadha, Harbhajan Singh and Rajinder Gupta are among the former AAP leaders who have been included in the committee. Their appointments come after they joined the BJP as part of a group of Rajya Sabha MPs who switched allegiance from the AAP.

The panel also brings together former ministers, legislators, parliamentarians and senior party leaders, with the responsibility of preparing the BJP’s manifesto for the Punjab elections.

Sunil Jakhar to lead chargesheet committee

The BJP has appointed Sunil Jakhar as chairman of its 14-member State Chargesheet Committee.

The panel includes Iqbal Singh Lalpura, Vijay Sampla, Shwait Malik, Maharani Preneet Kaur, Ravneet Singh Bittu, Dinesh Babbu, Sushil Rinku, Geja Ram, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, S.S. Channi and Jagmeet Singh Brar.

Pathak, Mittal and Sahney are among the former AAP Rajya Sabha MPs who moved to the BJP. Sushil Rinku, who was previously associated with the AAP, has also been included.

The committee will prepare a chargesheet against the incumbent government, giving the BJP a platform to compile issues and allegations it intends to raise during its election campaign.

Dhillon said the orders constituting both committees had come into force with immediate effect. He also indicated that the party would announce several other election-related committees in the coming days.

Congress sets up panel to oversee new entrants

The BJP’s announcement came on the same day that the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) constituted a four-member committee to coordinate the induction of leaders from other political parties.

The committee, formed through an order issued by PPCC president Pargat Singh, includes Congress Working Committee member Vijay Inder Singla and Punjab Congress Legislature Party deputy leader Aruna Chaudhary. Former MLA Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon and sitting MLA Hardev Singh Laddi are the other members.

The panel has been asked to consult senior Congress leaders in the areas concerned and the respective District Congress Committee presidents before admitting any leader into the party.

“The committee shall ensure that before any leader is inducted into the Congress Party, due consultations are held with the senior Congress leaders of the concerned area and the respective District Congress Committee President,” the order stated.

It added that the induction process would proceed only after their views had been considered and coordination with local party leadership ensured.

The directive has taken immediate effect as political parties begin strengthening their organisations ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.

(with ANI inputs)