New Delhi: As the fervor of the Lok Sabha elections grips Punjab, the state’s political panorama is poised for a pivotal showdown throughout its 13 parliamentary seats. The Indian National Congress (INC), presently holding 7 seats, braces for a formidable problem towards its rivals – the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with two seats, Shiromani Akali Dal Badal (SAD) additionally with two seats, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with one, and Shiromani Akali Dal – Amritsar (SAD-A) additionally holding one seat.
Reflecting on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, a sequence of victories marked the political area. GURJEET SINGH AUJLA of INC emerged victorious within the Amritsar constituency, defeating his BJP rival by a margin of 99,626 votes. In Khadoor Sahib, JASBIR SINGH GILL of INC received towards the SAD candidate by a considerable margin of 140,573 votes. The Jalandhar seat witnessed SANTOKH CHAUDHARY of INC triumphing over an SAD candidate with a 19,491-vote margin.
Manish Tewari of INC secured the Anandpur Sahib constituency, outstripping his SAD opponent by 46,884 votes. RAVNEET SINGH BITTU of INC received the Ludhiana seat, and AMAR SINGH of INC claimed the Fatehgarh Sahib constituency, every defeating their respective rivals with vital vote margins. MOHAMMAD SADIQUE of INC and Preneet Kaur of INC additionally registered convincing wins of their respective constituencies.
The BJP marked its presence with SUNNY DEOL successful the Gurdaspur constituency and SOM PARKASH securing the Hoshiarpur seat, each towards INC candidates. SAD’s presence was affirmed by SUKHBIR SINGH BADAL and Harsimrat Kaur Badal, successful in Firozpur and Bathinda, respectively. The AAP, represented by BHAGWANT MANN, clinched the Sangrur constituency.
The subsequent by-elections noticed a dramatic shift, with AAP shedding the Sangrur seat however compensating by successful the Jalandhar seat, due to Sushil Kumar Rintu’s efforts. Simranjit Singh MANN of SAD (A) reclaimed the Sangrur seat, additional intensifying the political dynamics.
In the 2019 elections, SAD candidates have been the runners-up in six seats, adopted by 5 INC candidates, indicating a intently contested political surroundings. The as soon as allied forces of SAD and BJP, who break up in 2020, at the moment are imagined to probably realign earlier than the 2024 elections. Adding to the intrigue are rumors of a possible INC-AAP alliance, a transfer that might considerably impression voter choices.
Punjab, witnessed a 40.12% vote share for INC, 27.45% for SAD, 9.63% for BJP, and seven.38% for AAP in 2019. However, the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections demonstrated a exceptional swing in voter desire, hinting at a possible shift within the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections opine political consultants.
Political analysts recommend that whereas the 2022 state elections mirrored regional issues, the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections might pivot on nationwide points. This shift might redefine the electoral panorama, making the Punjab elections a vital barometer for gauging the nationwide political temper.
The upcoming elections in Punjab should not only a contest of seats however a mirrored image of the evolving political ethos of the state. As the events strategize and the citizens weighs its choices, Punjab stands on the cusp of a probably transformative electoral expertise.
