Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday, 30 May remarked that state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Kewal Singh Dhillon had long been regarded as a close associate of former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, but that the two leaders now appear to have drifted apart. Mann made the observation while responding to media queries in Chandigarh, noting that the reasons for the apparent estrangement remain unclear.

Background to the Remark

The comment came in direct response to Capt Amarinder Singh distancing himself from Dhillon's appointment as Punjab BJP president, publicly stating he had no role in the decision, which was taken by the party leadership. Mann pointed out that Capt Amarinder had actively supported Dhillon when the latter contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Sangrur, making the current distance between them all the more striking.

'Kewal Singh Dhillon was always considered close to Capt Amarinder Singh. Now, both leaders appear to have parted ways, and the reasons for this change are known only to them. It remains a mystery why there is a loss of warmth between the two,' Mann told reporters.

AAP's Sweep in Civic Polls

Mann used the occasion to underscore the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s dominance in the recently concluded civic body elections in Punjab. He stated that even independent candidates had secured more seats than the BJP, and that the people of Punjab had pushed the party to fifth position in the local body results. 'The verdict clearly reflects the rejection of its negative agenda by the people,' Mann said.

He expressed confidence that AAP would comfortably form the government in the next Vidhan Sabha elections, with the Congress, Akali Dal, and BJP contesting for the second, third, and fourth positions respectively.

Government's Defence of Poll Conduct

Responding to Opposition criticism of the civic polls, Mann rejected allegations of irregularities, describing the elections as the most peaceful, free, and transparent civic polls ever conducted in the state. He noted that Opposition candidates had themselves won seats in several wards and local bodies, including contests decided by very narrow margins, as evidence of the polls' credibility.

'The transparency of these elections can be judged from the fact that in several pockets, opposition candidates won seats, some even by thin margins. This clearly shows that the elections reflected the genuine will of the people,' Mann said.

AAP's Electoral Record in Punjab

The Chief Minister cited a consistent electoral track record, claiming AAP had won every by-election, panchayat election, Zila Parishad election, and civic poll in the state over the past four years. He attributed the sustained support to what he described as the party's pro-people governance. Mann argued that the Opposition parties have been repeatedly rejected because they have failed to offer any positive agenda to voters.

With the next Vidhan Sabha election on the horizon, the BJP's internal dynamics — and the apparent Dhillon-Amarinder distance — are likely to remain a flashpoint in Punjab's political discourse.