The entry of Pro-Khalistan leader & Waris Punjab De Chief Amritpal Singh into politics has added a new dimension to the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 in Punjab. Amritpal Singh who is currently lodged in Dibrugarh jail and has been slapped with UAPA will fight Lok Sabha Elections 2024 from Sri Khadoor Sahib constituency. The Waris Punjab De Chief's mother Balwinder Kaur on Friday confirmed that her son Amritpal will fight elections as an independent candidate. Amritpal Singh's entry into Lok Sabha Elections 2024 signifies that the Khalistan issue will be discussed. However, Sri Khadoor Sahib is not the only constituency where the Khalistan issue is at the forefront.
Sangrur is another constituency in Punjab where the Khalistan issue is said to be at the front. For instance, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president and sitting member of Parliament (MP) Simranjit Singh Mann will again contest from the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat. Mann won the 2022 bypoll when the seat fell vacant following the resignation of Bhagwant Mann, who was elected as an MLA from Dhuri in the state assembly elections. Notably, there are multiple comments of Simranjit Singh Mann available in the public domain that has sparked controversies especially related to the sensitive issue of Khalistan.
It is pertinent to mention here that it is not the first time, Pro Khalistan leaders have been contesting Lok Sabha Elections in Punjab. In 1989, 9 out of 13 seats were won by leaders who were said to be Pro Khalistan.
For instance, Simranjit Singh Mann from Tarn Taran, Sucha Singh Manoha from Bathinda, Jagdev Singh from Faridkot, Rajinder Kaur Bulara from Ludhiana, Bimal Kaur from Ropar, and Rajdev Singh from Sangrur.
For the unversed, Sucha Singh Manoha was the father of Beant Singh who assassinated India's former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. On the other hand, Bimal Kaur was the wife of Beant Singh. Both Bimal Kaur and Sucha Singh had won the elections from Shiromani Akali Dal (SIMRANJIT SINGH MANN).