Parkash Singh Badal's aide Major Bhupinder Singh joins BJP in Punjab
Synopsis
A veteran Akali insider with family roots going back to the 1952 Rajya Sabha and a personal political bond of 25 years with Parkash Singh Badal has switched to the BJP — the same day an AAP municipal functionary and a clutch of SAD workers in Sanour did the same. The double defection on a single day signals a deliberate BJP drive to hollow out both the SAD and AAP's organisational base in Punjab.
Key Takeaways
Major Bhupinder Singh Dhillon Badal , close relative and 25-year Political Secretary of the late Parkash Singh Badal , joined the BJP on 14 September 2026 .
He served as a Minister in the Akali government from 1997 to 2002 and is a veteran of the 1971 India-Pakistan War .
His father, Gurraj Singh Dhillon Badal , was a Rajya Sabha MP from 1952 to 1958 representing the SAD .
Pradeep Joshan , AAP State Secretary (SC Wing) and Sanour Municipal Committee President, also joined the BJP the same day.
Multiple SAD and AAP leaders, office-bearers and social activists from the Sanour Assembly constituency joined alongside Joshan.
The BJP described the joinings as evidence of growing public faith in its leadership and policies in Punjab .
Major Bhupinder Singh Dhillon Badal, a close relative of the late former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and a 25-year Political Secretary to him, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 14 September 2026 in Chandigarh, in the presence of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and state BJP President Kewal Singh Dhillon. The development marks a notable cross-over from the Shiromani Akali Dal's traditional orbit into the BJP fold ahead of the next Punjab assembly cycle.
Who Is Major Bhupinder Singh Dhillon Badal
A military veteran who served in the Indian Army until 1988 and participated in the 1971 India-Pakistan War, Major Bhupinder Singh brought both battlefield and political credentials to the Akali ecosystem. Beyond his 25 years as Political Secretary to Parkash Singh Badal, he also served as a Minister in the Akali government from 1997 to 2002.
His family roots in Punjab politics run deep. His father, the late Gurraj Singh Dhillon Badal, represented the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in the Rajya Sabha from 1952 to 1958 and was reportedly instrumental in the early political career of Parkash Singh Badal. Major Bhupinder Singh has also maintained a sustained grassroots presence in the Lambi Assembly constituency, having been involved in election campaigns since 1994.
Why This Joining Matters for the BJP in Punjab
The BJP's inroads into Punjab have historically been constrained by the dominance of the SAD in the Sikh-majority Malwa belt. Major Bhupinder Singh's entry is being seen, according to reports, as a significant organisational and political reinforcement — particularly in the Malwa region — at a time when the SAD continues to grapple with electoral setbacks and internal consolidation challenges.
This is the latest in a series of high-profile defections that have seen SAD loyalists and AAP functionaries gravitating toward the BJP in Punjab, reflecting a broader churn in the state's opposition political landscape.
AAP and Akali Leaders Also Switch Sides in Sanour
In a separate but simultaneous development, Pradeep Joshan — who served as Sanour President of the Municipal Committee, Sangathan In-charge of the Sanour Assembly constituency, and State Secretary of the SC Wing of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) — joined the BJP along with his supporters on the same day.
Prominent leaders who switched allegiance alongside Joshan included Swaran Singh, President of the SC Wing of the SAD's Malwa Zone, as well as Rajat Batish, Narotam Bhatnagar, Barinder Batish, Rohit Walia, Aashish Gaur, Sanjeev Kumar, Dinesh Sharma, Kamal Walia, Vijay Kumar Bhardwaj, and Parminder Bhardwaj, among others.
Social activists associated with the Sanour Samaj Kalyan Club — including Varinder Singh, Harminder Singh, Jagdeep Singh, Gurbir Singh, Mandeep Singh, Davinder Singh, Gurvir Battu, and Gurvinder Singh — also formally joined the party.
What the BJP Said
Welcoming the new members, state BJP President Kewal Singh Dhillon said the joinings reflect 'the growing faith of people in the BJP's policies and leadership.' He asserted that the party would continue working with commitment toward Punjab's development and the welfare of every section of society.
What This Signals for Punjab Politics
The twin inductions — one from the SAD's political inner circle, another from AAP's organisational machinery — underline a targeted BJP strategy to build a multi-constituency, multi-community base in Punjab ahead of the next electoral contest. With the SAD weakened and AAP's Punjab government under scrutiny, the BJP appears to be positioning itself as the primary consolidation point for disaffected political workers across party lines. How much of this organisational accretion translates into votes will be closely watched.
Point of View
A distinction the BJP's Punjab leadership has not always been able to translate in past assembly elections. The real test of this organisational churn will come at the ballot box.
NationPress
14 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Major Bhupinder Singh Dhillon Badal and why did he join the BJP?
Major Bhupinder Singh Dhillon Badal is a close relative of the late former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who served as his Political Secretary for 25 years and as a Minister in the Akali government from 1997 to 2002. He joined the BJP on 14 September 2026 in Chandigarh; the party described his joining as a significant boost to its organisational strength in Punjab's Malwa region.
What is Major Bhupinder Singh's military background?
Major Bhupinder Singh served in the Indian Army and participated in the 1971 India-Pakistan War, continuing his military service until 1988. He transitioned into politics thereafter and has been involved in election campaigns since 1994, with a long-standing connection to the Lambi Assembly constituency.
Who is Pradeep Joshan and what is his significance in this context?
Pradeep Joshan was the Sanour President of the Municipal Committee, Sangathan In-charge of the Sanour Assembly constituency, and State Secretary of the SC Wing of the Aam Aadmi Party before joining the BJP. His switch, along with several prominent leaders and social activists from Sanour, is seen as a significant gain for the BJP's grassroots presence in that constituency.
Which senior BJP leaders were present at the joining event?
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Punjab BJP State President Kewal Singh Dhillon were present when Major Bhupinder Singh Dhillon Badal formally joined the party. Dhillon welcomed all new members and reaffirmed the BJP's commitment to Punjab's development.
What does this mean for the BJP's position in Punjab ahead of future elections?
The back-to-back inductions from the SAD's political inner circle and AAP's organisational machinery suggest the BJP is pursuing a deliberate strategy to expand its base across Punjab's Malwa region and the Sanour constituency. Analysts see it as part of a broader effort to consolidate disaffected political workers from rival parties, though translating organisational gains into votes has historically been a challenge for the BJP in Punjab.
