Punjab: Why You Need To Worry About The Results Of Khadoor Sahib And Faridkot

In a fierce competition across 13 parliamentary constituencies, the Congress secured seven seats, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won three, and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) captured one.

Additionally, two independent candidates — the jailed pro-Khalistan Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh, and Sarabjit Singh Khalsa also emerged winners.

Separatist leader’s winning from Khadoor Sahib

Radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh, won the Khadoor Sahib seat by a margin of over one lakh votes against Congress’s Kulbir Singh Zira. Amritpal is chief of the pro-Khalistan outfit, Waris Punjab De.

Khadoor Sahib is home to several significant Sikh shrines. Presently, the region struggles with drug abuse and farmer’s protests. Amritpal Singh gained a following here supposedly through his anti-drug campaign, but more importantly for his radical views.

The pro-Khalistani leader, who models himself after Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, was arrested last year after a massive crackdown and a months-long manhunt before he surrendered.

He rose on the back of the farmer's protests of 2021-22.

He is currently imprisoned in Assam’s Dibrugarh jail under the National Security Act (NSA).

Assassin’s Son took lead on Faridkot

Adding to this, Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, son of one of the assassins of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, won the Faridkot Lok Sabha seat in Punjab.

Reports indicate that his primary campaign focus was 'seeking justice' for the October 2015 Guru Granth Sahib desecration case at Bargari.

Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, the son of Beant Singh, maintained a lead of around 40,000 votes throughout the counting process and ultimately won by a margin of 70,000 votes against his nearest rival, AAP nominee Karamjit Singh Anmol.

Beant Singh and Satwant Singh, who were bodyguards of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, assassinated her on 31 October 1984, at her residence.

Previously, Sarabjeet had unsuccessfully contested the 2004 Lok Sabha polls from the Bathinda seat on an SAD (Amritsar) ticket, garnering 1.13 lakh votes.

He also failed to win in the 2007 Punjab assembly polls from the Bhadaur seat in Barnala and in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from the Fatehgarh Sahib seat on a BSP ticket.