Sikh radical Amritpal Singh, who has tried to model himself in the image of Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and contested the Lok Sabha Election 2024 as an Independent, was leading by over 7,000 votes from Punjab’s Khadoor Sahib constituency as of 9 am, according to Election Commission trends.
Trailing in the second position was the Congress’ Kulbir Singh Zira, with the Aam Aadmi Party’s Laljit Singh Bhullar in the third place.
The fight for Punjab’s 13 seats was largely four-cornered this time – while I.N.D.I.A bloc allies Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) decided to contest separately amid differences between their local units, the BJP and long-time ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) split in 2o20 in light of the latter’s Opposition to the Modi government’s now-repealed farm laws. This is the first time since 1996 that the BJP and the SAD are not contesting in alliance.
This election took place against a markedly different backdrop from the one in 2019 – former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh has since joined the BJP, while the SAD is contesting its maiden election since the death of patriarch Parkash Singh Badal. This election comes two years after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) formed its maiden government in the state.
Sikh radical Amritpal Singh, arrested last year and currently in an Assam jail, has thrown his hat in the ring even as he remains in jail under the National Security Act (NSA), as well as for other charges.
His candidature has received support from MP Simranjit Singh Mann of the SAD (Mann) – different from the SAD of the Badals. Mann is also a proponent of a separate Sikh state.
Overall for Punjab, EC trends at 9 am showed the Congress and the AAP leading in five seats each, with Amritpal Singh among two Independents in the lead.