Dera Beas Head Gurinder Singh Dhillon’s Presence Fuels Political Speculation
Chandigarh/Ferozepur | Updated: February 10, 2026, 04:53 PM IST:
Punjab’s political landscape witnessed an unusual moment on Monday when senior leaders from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came together at Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria’s anti-drug foot march (padyatra) in Ferozepur. The participation of Dera Beas head Gurinder Singh Dhillon further added weight to the event, triggering intense political chatter across the state.
First Joint Appearance of SAD and BJP Leaders in Years
In a rare public convergence, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and BJP Punjab working president Ashwani Sharma were seen at the same event, marking the first such platform-sharing since the two parties parted ways in 2020.
While the padyatra was officially aimed at spreading awareness against the drug menace in Punjab, the optics of the gathering quickly shifted attention towards its political undertones.
Gurinder Singh Dhillon Emerges as a Key Figure
The presence of Dera Beas chief Gurinder Singh Dhillon stood out as the most significant aspect of the march. Gurinder Dhillon recently made headlines after visiting senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia in Nabha Jail, days before Majithia was granted bail.
Political observers see this sequence of events as more than coincidental, especially given Dhillon’s influential standing and the timing of his public appearances.
Political Buzz Over Possible SAD-BJP Realignment
Speculation around a potential SAD-BJP rapprochement intensified as Gurinder Dhillon and Ashwani Sharma walked alongside Governor Kataria throughout the padyatra. Their close proximity during the event lent fresh credibility to whispers of behind-the-scenes political realignment.
Sukhbir Singh Badal, however, joined the foot march only towards the end of the programme and notably did not come face-to-face with Ashwani Sharma, a detail that has sparked further analysis among political commentators.
Governor’s Anti-Drug Campaign Takes Center Stage
Despite the political buzz, Raj Bhavan sources maintained that the padyatra was strictly a non-political initiative, aimed at mobilizing public opinion against drug abuse — a long-standing issue in Punjab.
Governor Gulab Chand Kataria has been actively engaging with civil society, religious leaders, and political figures to strengthen the state’s fight against narcotics through awareness and community participation.
What This Means for Punjab Politics
The symbolic unity displayed at the foot march may not immediately translate into a formal alliance, but it has undeniably reopened conversations about shifting political equations in Punjab ahead of future electoral battles.
With influential religious leadership, senior opposition figures, and the BJP leadership sharing space, the event has sent a clear signal that Punjab politics may be entering a phase of recalibration.