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In multi-cornered contest, AAP battles to regain Sangrur citadel
Overall, it appears to be a contest mainly among the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar).
Just three months after AAP’s landslide victory in the 2022 assembly polls, the massive debacle in the Sangrur Lok Sabha bypoll at the hands of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann had left the ruling party in shock as the constituency is seen as chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s citadel. Taking a lesson, the ruling party is firing on all cylinders to win back this seat that is facing a multi-cornered contest this time. Voting will take place on June 1.
AAP terms the Sangrur constituency as its capital in Punjab because chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann won his first Lok Sabha election in 2014 from here and repeated the feat in 2019. Besides, three other MLAs — Harpal Singh Cheema, Aman Arora and Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer — are part of the cabinet.
Ex-IPS officer Simranjit Singh Mann, who is contesting for the sixth time from Sangrur, had in 2022 defeated AAP’s Gurmail Singh, resulting in a major embarrassment for the ruling party.
To regain its fort, AAP has fielded its cabinet minister and Barnala MLA Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer whereas the Congress has fielded Bholath MLA and Bhagwant Mann’s bete-noire Sukhpal Singh Khaira. The Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) has placed its bet on former MLA Iqbal Singh Jhundan amid bitterness with Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa group while former MLA and businessman Arvind Khanna is Bharatiya Janata Party’s pick.
The people of Sangrur are known for swimming against the tide. CM Bhagwant Mann has put his entire force in Sangrur while banking on free power, government jobs, canal water for irrigation, Mohalla clinics and other schemes.
Meet Hayer is comparatively inexperienced as compared to sitting MP Simranjit Singh Mann, but confident of registering victory. On the adverse side, people have been questioning AAP leaders, especially MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj and Bhadaur MLA Labh Singh, for “lack of development works”.
Overall, it appears to be a contest mainly among the ruling AAP, Congress and the SAD (Amritsar).
Simranjit Singh Mann’s special focus on rural areas, Malerkotla
MP Simranjit Singh Mann is mainly raising the Sikh issues and the idea of Khalistan, a separate state. He has been eyeing mainly the rural vote bank and Muslims of Malerkotla assembly constituency of Sangrur. His ideas have been gaining support for the past two years in Punjab. Still an X factor of the Sangrur elections, he has been drawing crowd like his previous elections.
It is said that the death of Punjab actor and activist Deep Sidhu and sensational killing of Sidhu Moose Wala were the key factors behind Simranjit Singh Mann’s victory in 2022. Moose Wala’s father Balkaur Singh is supporting Congress nominee Sukhpal Singh Khaira.
The SAD (Amritsar) leader says he raised all issues of Sikhs, especially “human rights violation” in Parliament, but there have been significant silent vote in his favour. Several activists, including social media influencer Bhana Sidhu, are also supporting him.
At the same time, the age factor remains a hindrance for Simranjit Singh Mann as he campaigns mainly during morning and evening hours to avoid scorching heat.
Khaira’s campaign amid outsider tag, anti-migrant remarks
The Congress appears to be a divided house. MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, being labelled outsider by the AAP, has managed to run his campaign impressively in Sangrur. He recently courted a controversy by making some anti-migrant statements for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted the Congress. A strong critic of the AAP government, Khaira was arrested by the Punjab Police in 2015 in connection with a drug case. The Punjab and Haryana high court granted him bail over lack of evidence. During his speeches, Khaira has spoken against invoking the National Security Act against separatist preacher Amritpal Singh. He also speaks about industry. In a setback, party’s former MLA Dalvir Singh Goldy joined AAP.
All is not well in Akali Dal
Though former MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, who had left the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) over some differences with Sukhbir Singh Badal, is back in the party along with his son but the problem still appears to have not been solved. The Dhindsa faction, which wanted the party to field Dhindsa’ son Parminder Singh (former MLA), has been unhappy since Sukhbir allotted party ticket to Iqbal Singh Jhundan. The faction remains inactive in the party campaign.
BJP’s Khanna banks on PM’s policies
Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate Arvind Khanna, a former Dhuri MLA, is mainly banking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies and the issue of Ram Mandir. Farmer unions have been hampering his campaign, forcing him to remain under heavy police protection.
The BJP and the SAD have been contesting individually since they parted ways in 2020 over three farm bills that were repealed later. The SAD has a rural and urban vote bank while the BJP has a grip over urban areas.
