Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) has fielded Papalpreet Singh, a close associate and former media adviser of jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, from the Majitha assembly constituency, the home turf of senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader (SAD) Bikram Singh Majithia. Assembly polls in Punjab are due early next year.
The party’s state media in-charge Shamsher Singh Padhri confirmed the development, saying: “Papalpreet Singh has been named as candidate from Majitha assembly constituency of Amritsar district.”
Papalpreet, considered a key aide of Amritpal Singh, is currently lodged in Goindwal Sahib jail in connection with the Ajnala police station assault case.
He was brought back to Punjab in April 2025 after completing nearly two years of detention under the National Security Act (NSA) at Dibrugarh jail in Assam.
Following his release from the Assam jail, Punjab Police took his custody and produced him before a local court in Ajnala on April 11, 2025.
Amritpal and his associates were booked in 2023 in connection with the attack on the Ajnala police station. The cases included charges of spreading disharmony among classes, attempt to murder, assault on police personnel and obstructing public servants in the discharge of their duties.
{{/usCountry}}Amritpal and his associates were booked in 2023 in connection with the attack on the Ajnala police station. The cases included charges of spreading disharmony among classes, attempt to murder, assault on police personnel and obstructing public servants in the discharge of their duties.
{{/usCountry}}The police crackdown against Amritpal and his associates began on March 18, 2023, when a police convoy intercepted his vehicle near Mehatpur in Jalandhar district while he was reportedly on his way to Bathinda to address a gathering.
Amritpal and Papalpreet managed to evade the initial crackdown. Papalpreet was arrested on April 10, 2023, from the Kathunangal area of Amritsar district, a few days before Amritpal’s arrest.
Papalpreet’s entry into the Majitha contest is expected to add a new dimension to the electoral battle in the constituency, given his prominence in radical Sikh politics and his association with Amritpal.
Majitha has long been regarded as a stronghold of Bikram Singh Majithia. His wife, Ganieve Kaur Majithia, is the sitting MLA from the constituency.
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party has already fielded Talbir Singh Gill, a former close aide and personal secretary of Majithia, from Majitha.
Papalpreet’s native village, Marari Kalan, also falls within the Majitha constituency, giving him a local connection as he enters the electoral fray.