National Desk, 4th June: Amritpal Singh, a jailed pro-Khalistani separatist, is currently leading by a significant margin of 50,405 votes in Punjab’s Khadoor Sahib constituency, according to the latest trends released by the Election Commission of India for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Despite being incarcerated, Singh, contesting as an independent candidate, has garnered substantial support. Congress leader Kulbir Singh Zira trails behind, while the Aam Aadmi Party candidate is lagging by 51,328 votes, as per the electoral data.
Amritpal Singh’s prominent position in the electoral race comes despite his arrest by Punjab police in April last year, following a prolonged period of evasion. The charges against him, underscored by the imposition of the stringent National Security Act, highlight the serious nature of his alleged offenses.
The Khadoor Sahib seat was previously won by Congress’ Jasbir Singh Gill in 2019. In the current election, the Congress has nominated Kulbir Singh Zira, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Manjit Singh Manna. Laljit Singh Bhullar represents the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and the Akali Dal’s candidate is Virsa Singh Valtoha.
Punjab’s ongoing Lok Sabha elections, covering 13 parliamentary seats, are set to conclude on June 1 in the seventh phase of polling. Initial trends indicate Congress leader Rahul Gandhi leading in the two Lok Sabha seats of Wayanad in Kerala and Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh.
The overall Lok Sabha elections have seen a massive turnout of approximately 642 million voters across seven phases spanning six weeks. With vote counting underway amid stringent security measures, the political atmosphere remains charged as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seeks a third consecutive term. The opposition, united under the INDIA bloc, aims to challenge the incumbent government.
Exit polls had earlier predicted a decisive victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), with some forecasts suggesting a two-thirds majority. Prior to the official vote tally, the BJP secured one seat in the Surat Lok Sabha constituency, where Mukesh Dalal won uncontested after the Congress nominee Nilesh Kumbhani’s candidacy was rejected due to alleged discrepancies in proposers’ signatures.
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