Son of Indira Gandhi's killer Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa leading in Punjab's Faridkot constituency
PTC Web Desk: Sarabjeet Singh Khasla, son of one of the assassins of the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, is leading in Punjab's Faridkot Lok Sabha constituency. Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa continues to maintain the top lead, followed by Aam Aadmi Party's Karamjit Singh Anmol, SAD's Rajwinder Singh Dharamkot and Amarjit Kaur Sahoke of the Congress. BJP’s Hans Raj Hans is trailing.
Sarabjeet Singh’s Panthic appeal resonated strongly in the rural-dominated border constituency of Punjab, gaining momentum through roadshows and poll meetings in the campaign's final stages. He received significant backing from Sikh leaders involved in the Bargari protest, including parallel jathedar Dhian Singh Mand and former Akal Takht jathedar Jasbir Singh Rode. Additionally, relatives of the 2015 post-sacrilege police firing victims also campaigned for him.
Former AAP leader Justice Jora Singh, who headed the first inquiry commission into the 2015 sacrilege and firing cases, also announced his support for Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa. Jora Singh had previously contested unsuccessfully from Jalandhar on an AAP ticket in 2019.
Sarabjeet’s mother, Bimal Kaur Khalsa, won the Lok Sabha Elections from Ropar, and his grandfather, Sucha Singh, was elected from the Bathinda parliamentary constituency in 1989 as candidates of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar). However, this time the SAD (A) fielded its own candidate against Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa. In the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Sarabjeet Singh contested from Bathinda and received 113,490 votes.
Within the nine Assembly segments in Punjab's Faridkot Lok Sabha constituency, Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa enjoys considerable support in Dharamkot, Baghapurana, Gidderbaha, Jaitu, and Faridkot. The AAP has eight MLAs from the constituency, and Congress president Raja Warring is the Gidderbaha MLA.
During his campaign, Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa frequently invoked Sikh sentiments, reminding audiences of how his father, Beant Singh, assassinated Indira Gandhi to avenge the 1984 attack on the Golden Temple.
- With inputs from agencies
