Prakash Badal’s troubleshooter, backroom strategist: Who is BJP’s latest ‘Akali’ import

Former Punjab chief minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Parkash Singh Badal. (Source: File)

For decades, Major Bhupinder Singh Dhillon (78) worked quietly behind Parkash Singh Badal, helping him manage campaigns and rebels, and was his political secretary during his tenure as Chief Minister from 1997-2002. On Monday, the 78-year-old retired Army officer made a political journey of his own by joining the BJP.

Dhillon, a cousin of the late Badal Sr, joined the BJP in the presence of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon. His son Amarveer Singh Badal also joined the party, a development that grabbed attention ahead of 2027 Assembly elections in Punjab, especially amid talks over possibility of a SAD-BJP alliance.

“I am proud to be a Badal. But now BJP’s ideology is closer to my heart,” said Major Bhupi, as he is popularly known in politically important Badal village, a part of Lambi constituency, earlier represented Badal Sr and now by Punjab’s Agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian.

Dhillon is Badal Sr’s first cousin. Their fathers were brothers, a part of the joint family. His father, Gur Raj Singh, was a member of the first Rajya Sabha from 1952 to 1956 and, Dhillon says, was the first Akali MP in the Rajya Sabha.

Congress leader from Lambi, Jagpal Singh Abulkhurana, who is also related to Dhillon, remembers the role he played in Badal’s campaigns. “He was given several wards to tend to. He was the man who would go to rebels and placate them by doing the groundwork. Then he would tell Badal sahib that he needed to visit some hard-to-crack ones. They were a team,” says Abulkhurana.

Dhillon enjoyed the proximity to power when Badal was in power, but his role was not confined to offices and meetings. When an election required someone to go into villages, meet disgruntled workers or persuade a rebel not to damage the party’s prospects, Dhillon was sent in.

The family’s political ties goes back several decades. “In 1958, my father passed on his political baton to Parkash Singh Badal. My father was a saintly person. Badal sahib was a promising young gentleman at the time,” he recalled. Badal Sr entered the Punjab Assembly for the first time in 1967, at the age of 30.

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The two families initially lived as a joint unit before eventually separating. Dhillon, however, remained closely associated with his cousin. “When Badal sahib became CM in 1997, I was appointed his political secretary. I would remain in Chandigarh and in also in Badal village,” he recalled.

But Dhillon’s own journey was not that of a full-time politician. Born in 1948, he studied at The Lawrence School, Sanawar, before joining the National Defence Academy. After completing his training at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in December 1969.

He served in the Regiment of Artillery for 21 years and retired from the Army in 1983. He had also served as ADC to Punjab Governor Jai Sukh Lal Hathi from 1979 to 1982, when he was a Captain. After retirement, he returned to the family fields and business and took up social work. Politics, however, remained close to him. He was active in the Shiromani Akali Dal. His house is closet to Badals house in Badal village.

“I was a part of the SAD. That’s why I was active in 2022. Badal had stood up. I had to be active,” he says. The election, in which Sukhbir Singh Badal lost from Jalalabad and the SAD was reduced to three seats, was a turning point for Dhillon. “It was a setback. After that things turned different. After Badal sahib’s demise, I kept quiet. Now I have made up my mind. I was approached by BJP. I thought of joining the party,” he says.

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The decision to join the BJP, he says, is driven by his admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I joined BJP because I feel PM has been doing well, brought India on top of the world map. Other nations are looking up to us. His policies and vision impressed me,” he says.

For Dhillon, the decision does not mean an end to his relationship with the Badals. “Sukhbir Singh Badal is my nephew. They have their own ideology. I have changed my ideology to BJP. We are blood relatives. We will be close to each other. But political interests are different,” he says.

He says Manpreet Singh Badal, another member of the extended family who has moved politically away from the SAD, shares the same sentiment. “Manpreet has same feelings as everybody in the family had,” he says.

Dhillon insists he has no bitterness towards the SAD or Sukhbir Badal. Asked why Sukhbir did not approach him when reports emerged that he was considering joining the BJP, he says: “I have no hard feelings.”

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Unlike many politicians who make a career out of elections, Dhillon has never contested one. “I have not contested any election. I am not a chap to show off. I am a silent sort of person who works from behind. It is not in my nature to be in the spotlight,” he says.

Whether the BJP gives him an electoral role remains to be seen. “Ticket? It will depend on the party. Whatever duty they give me, I will fulfil that,” he says. For now, Dhillon divides his time between Chandigarh and Badal village. He has a house in Chandigarh but spends much of his time in Badal, where he farms.

Parambans Singh Romana, an aide of Sukhbir Singh Badal and spokesperson of SAD, said, “Dhillon was not a part of Akali Dal. We do not have anything to say.”

Dhillon, however, insisted the old family ties remain untouched. “I am not upset,” he says.

Kanchan Vasdev is a Senior Assistant Editor in The Indian Express’ Punjab bureau. She is a highly experienced journalist with 22 years of expertise covering high-stakes politics, governance, and social issues in Northern India. Professional Background Role: Primary reporter covering the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), government policies, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership in the state. Experience: She previously worked with The Tribune and has played a key role in launching various city editions. Special Projects: Abandoned Brides: Authored a monograph on brides abandoned by NRIs as part of the Prabha Dutt Memorial Fellowship. Environment: Worked as a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) fellow, focusing on the pollution levels in the Satluj river. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting focuses on the legislative strategies and political maneuvers of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government: 1. Legislative & Governance Standoffs "Punjab govt advances special Assembly session to pass resolution against VB-G RAM G Bill" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the state's move to block the Centre's "Viksit Bharat" mission, which the state claims will undermine MGNREGA. "Punjab govt doubles down on special sessions, sixth in January" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing the AAP government's use of special sessions as a legislative tool amid tensions with the Governor. "Punjab asks 'VIP teachers' working near Chandigarh to go back to border districts" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on CM Mann's move to end the practice of influential teachers avoiding postings in remote areas. 2. Political Analysis & Rural Polls "Punjab rural polls: Why Akalis are likened to dinosaurs in Punjab" (Dec 19, 2025): Analyzing CM Bhagwant Mann's rhetoric against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) following local body elections. "AAP claims win in 78% Punjab zila parishads as counting continues" (Dec 18, 2025): Breaking down the results of the 2025 rural elections. "Rahul Gandhi and Sidhu alike, says Bhagwant Mann" (Dec 13, 2025): Covering the CM's critique of the Congress leadership. 3. Law Enforcement & Bureaucracy "Suspended Punjab IPS officer Ravjot Kaur Grewal awaits reinstatement" (Dec 10, 2025): Investigative reporting on the bureaucratic red tape involving the Election Commission and the state government. "Punjab declines to give parole to Amritpal Singh" (Nov 27, 2025): Detailing the state government's refusal to grant parole to the radical preacher and sitting MP. 4. Welfare & Economy "Punjab government's plan to add more freebies to 'atta-dal' scheme hits funds roadblock" (Dec 4, 2024): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing the state's flagship food security program. "Mann leads Punjab delegation to Japan and South Korea for investor outreach" (Dec 2, 2025). Signature Beat Kanchan Vasdev is known for her insider access to Punjab's political executive. Her writing provides deep insights into how state policies are formulated and the friction points between the state government and central authorities. Her dual expertise in environment and law allows her to report on complex issues like the "Farmhouse Policy" (Dec 18, 2025) and river pollution with a unique policy-oriented lens. X (Twitter): @kanchan99 ... Read More

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