Amritpal Singh’s victory in the Lok Sabha Elections has given a push to a worrisome trend in the Indian political landscape. Two of his accomplices, Bhagwant Singh ‘Pradhan Mantri’ Bajeke and Kulwant Singh Raoke, have announced that they will contest Punjab Assembly by-polls from Gidderbaha and Barnala constituencies. Both Bhagwant Singh and Kilwant Singh were arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) with Amritpal Singh. Both of them are currently lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail, along with Amritpal Singh and others arrested last year.
Kulwant Singh’s cousin Maha Singh claimed that he talked to Kulwant who expressed a desire to contest Assembly Elections by-polls. He also claimed that Kulwant asked him to seek Panthic organisations for support. Kulwant was a Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) employee from Raoke Kalan in the Moga district. He was an accomplice of Waris Punjab De chief and pro-Khalistan MP Amritpal Singh. He is currently lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail of Assam, and is yet to take oath as Lok Sabha MP after victory in the elections.
Kulwant Singh is the son of Charat Singh who was booked under NSA in 1987. He was picked up by police in 1993 and after that, he never returned home. His family claimed they did not know what happened to him. Maha Singh said, “To date, we do not know if he was killed in a fake encounter or if he is still alive. We do not have any proof of his death. He was taken by police and never came back.” His father was also arrested under the NSA in 1987.
Speaking to the Times of India, he said, “When I had a word with Kulwant Singh on Friday, he confirmed that he’d contest from Barnala and asked me to contact the panic organisations to prepare the ground. I am on with that task.”
A few days ago, a boy named Akashdeep Singh claiming to be the son of Bhagwant Singh ‘Pradhan Mantri’ Bajeke released a video on social media that Bajeke will contest Assembly by-Elections from Gidderbaha. Notably, Bajeke was active during farmer protests. Bhagwant Singh is the one whose “Police again police” meme got famous on social media.
He is Bhagwant singh aka "Pradhan mantri Bajeke ", close aide of Amritpal Singh. 👇👇😂😂 pic.twitter.com/YjjqPn8pvW
— PunFact (@pun_fact) March 18, 2023
Gidderbaha’s seat was vacated as Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring became MP from Ludhiana. Barnala’s seat was vacated as Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won the Sangrur seat in the Lok Sabha Elections. Two more seats, Baba Bakala and Chabbewal got vacant after Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Raj Kumar Chabbewal became MPs. As the Punjab Assembly Speaker has announced these four seats vacant, the Election Commission has to schedule by-polls within the next six months.
Apart from Amritpal Singh winning Lok Sabha polls from Khadoor Sahib in Punjab, there were two more concerning victories in the elections. Kashmiri separatist leader Abdul Rashid Sheikh, who is in Tihar jail under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), won from Baramulla defeating Omar Abdullah. Another Khalistani leader Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa won from Faridkot. Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa is the son of Beant Singh, one of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassins.
