Spotlight on Faridkot as 2 two artistes, greenhorn, turncoat take centrestage

The Faridkot Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency is set for a multi-cornered contest between two prominent artistes, a greenhorn third-generation politician and a turncoat

Faridkot: The Faridkot Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency is set for a multi-cornered contest between two prominent artistes, a greenhorn third-generation politician and a turncoat.

The Faridkot Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency is set for a multi-cornered contest between two prominent artistes, a greenhorn third-generation politician and a turncoat

Once a stronghold of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the predominantly rural constituency voted for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and the Congress in 2019 elections. The Congress is finding it hard to retain the seat this time as senior leaders are missing from the party nominee’s campaign.

Spreading across four districts Faridkot, Moga, Muktsar and Bathinda, the constituency has nine assembly segments Moga, Dharamkot, Nihal Singh Wala, Baghapurana, Faridkot, Kotkapura, Jaitu, Gidderbaha and Rampura Phul.

Of the nine assembly segments in the parliamentary constituency, eight are represented by the AAP. The SAD, which had finished second in the past two Lok Sabha elections, is also eyeing gains by fielding a candidate belonging to a local Taksali Akali family.

While the AAP has fielded actor-singer Karamjit Anmol, Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) has shifted singer-turned-politician Hans Raj Hans from North-West Delhi Lok Sabha segment to Faridkot. The SAD is banking on Rajwinder Singh, who is son of three-time Dharamkot MLA Sheetal Singh and grandson of former cabinet minister Gurdev Badal. The Congress has given ticket to Amarjit Kaur Sahoke, who had jumped the ship from the SAD.

With a ‘Panthic’ appeal, Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, who is son of former prime minister Indira Gandhi’s assassin, Beant Singh, is contesting as an Independent. Sarabjeet (45) had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election from Bathinda in 2004 and got 1,13,490 votes. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has fielded Gurbaksh Singh Chouhan and SAD (A) Baldev Singh Gagra.

Seat represented by political bigwigs

A number of prominent leaders have been elected from the Faridkot Lok Sabha constituency. Former chief minister and SAD patriarch won the seat after its formation in 1977. In the 1989 general elections, Jagdev Singh Khudian, who was the father of cabinet minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian, represented the constituency as an SAD (Amritsar) candidate. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had also contested his first Lok Sabha election in 1996 from Faridkot. In 1999, Jagmeet Brar of the Congress defeated Sukhbir but he was re-elected in 2004. After the 2009 delimitation, when it became a reserved segment, the Badals shifted to Bathinda.

In 12 general elections after the formation of Faridkot constituency since 1977, the SAD has won the seat six times, the Congress four and AAP and SAD (Amritsar) once each.

Anmol banking on star power, govt’s performance

A greenhorn in politics, AAP’s Karamjit Anmol, who is a close friend of chief minister Bhagwant Mann, is relying on his stardom and the government’s performance in the state. Actors and singers from the Punjabi film industry are giving a boost to Anmol’s campaign.

Facing farmers’ ire, Hans relying on personal connect

Hans, who had defeated the AAP’s Gagan Singh Ranga by a huge margin from the North-West Delhi seat in 2019, is facing farmers’ anger and is finding it difficult to campaign in Faridkot. Hans has started visiting rural areas of the constituency and is trying to pacify farmers. Hans is urging people to elect him so that he can be a mediator between the farmers and the government. During his poll campaign, Hans does not miss a chance to showcase his singing skills.

Third generation politician counts on legacy, local roots

A third-generation politician, SAD’s Rajwinder Singh, son of three-time Akali MLA Sheetal Singh and maternal grandson of late agriculture minister Gurdev Singh Badal, is contesting his first election. Gurdev Badal, who died in 2017, was considered a close confidant of former CM Parkash Singh Badal. Rajwinder joined the AAP in December 2015 but rejoined SAD before the 2017 assembly elections. During the poll campaign, he is highlighting the political legacy of his family and the work done by his elders in the constituency.

Cong’s Sahoke facing opposition within party

The Congress has fielded Amarjit Kaur Sahoke after dropping Punjabi folk singer and sitting MP Mohammad Sadique from the reserved seat. Sahoke had unsuccessfully contested from Jagraon on the SAD ticket in 2017. She switched to the Congress after the SAD denied her ticket in the 2022 assembly polls. Faridkot-born Sahoke is also banking on her local roots but she has already started facing opposition within the party for being a “turncoat”. The Congress has not organised any major rally in her support.