North News
Chandigarh, September 27
Speculation is rife over whether Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Punjab chief, Sunil Kumar Jakhar, has offered to resign or if the party is already seeking his replacement. While senior BJP leaders in Punjab have denied reports of Jakhar’s resignation, sources in Delhi confirm that the national leadership is actively searching for a new face to lead the party in Punjab, in light of the recent assembly election results.
Although Jakhar has not formally stepped down, insiders reveal that he has been asked to continue as state president until a suitable successor is found. The BJP is said to be considering a leader who can better align with its strategy. A party meeting scheduled for September 30 will likely address this and other pressing issues.
The timing is especially delicate, with elections for over 13,000 gram panchayats set for October 15. This leadership uncertainty could be embarrassing for the party as it prepares for these local polls.
Reports suggest that he recently met with senior leadership in Delhi to express his displeasure over the internal functioning of the state BJP.
Party insiders suggest that Jakhar’s absence from recent BJP meetings, including those to strategize for the upcoming panchayat elections, is a clear indication of his dissatisfaction. His frustration reportedly grew after Ravneet Singh Bittu, a former Congress leader who recently joined the BJP, was promoted to Union Minister despite losing the last Lok Sabha elections. Bittu, like Jakhar, defected from Congress—Jakhar in 2022, Bittu in 2024—but Bittu is now seen as the rising star within the BJP’s Punjab unit, much to Jakhar’s dismay.
Senior Punjab BJP leader Harjit Singh Grewal strongly denied reports of Sunil Kumar Jakhar’s resignation while speaking to news channels. Grewal clarified that Jakhar had just returned from a month-long trip abroad, dismissing the resignation rumors as false. Jakhar is currently unavailable for comment, but the story will be updated as soon as his statement becomes available.
Jakhar, a three-time MLA from Abohar and former Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, joined the BJP in May 2022 after leaving Congress.
