The seventh and last phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 is underway. Punjab voters are enthusiastically casting their votes. 9.64% of voters cast their vote across the state in the first two hours of polling. People are also casting their vote early in order to avoid having to stand in long queues in the scorching heat. The Bathinda constituency saw a turnout of 9.74% turnout between 7 AM and 9 AM.
Bathinda will bear witness to a 5-way fight between the major political parties. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) will be fielding Harsimrat Kaur Badal for the fourth time, hoping to secure another consecutive victory. However, stepping into the ring with their candidate for the first time since 1996 is Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with ex-IAS officer Parampal Kaur Sidhu. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is fielding ex-MLA Gurmeet Singh Khuddian while Congress will be fielding Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu. SAD (Amritsar) is also tossing their hat in the ring with gangster-turned-politician Lakhwinder Singh alias Lakha Sidhana.
In the 2019 elections, Bathinda saw a voter turnout of 74.11%. Out of these 74.94% of registered male electors cast their votes while 73.17% of females and 45% of transgender electors cast their vote.
Harsimrat Badal has secured the seat in Bathinda in 2019, 2014 and 2009. Prior to that, in 2004, Paramjit Kaur Gulshan was the MP for Bathinda, also representing SAD.