Amid speculation surrounding Amritpal Singh’s purported candidacy in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, his father, Tarsem Singh, dismissed such claims, emphasizing uncertainty regarding the matter.
In a statement to reporters following a meeting with his son at Dibrugarh jail, Tarsem Singh clarified, “Contesting the elections is not final yet. We need to know what the ground reality is.” He added that discussions on the matter were inconclusive and nothing had been confirmed.
However, Amritpal Singh will contest the Lok Sabha election from Khadoor Sahib as an independent candidate. His mother, Balwinder Kaur, issued the statement and said that Amritpal Singh agreed to contest the election due to the demand of his followers.
The Daily Guardian learned that Amritpal’s parents have contradictory claims. His father denies it, and his mother announces he would contest independently from Khadoor Sahib.
The visit occurred following reports by Amritpal Singh’s legal counsel, Rajdev Singh Khalsa, suggesting his candidacy from the Khadoor Sahib constituency in Punjab.
Tarsem Singh stressed that the decision to contest should be left to the locals, indicating, “This cannot be our decision. It should be the decision of the locals. He said that he does not have any will to contest but he will if the people want him to.”
Furthermore, Tarsem Singh elaborated on his son’s stance, stating, “He (Amritpal) said that those are his people and he is fighting for them. He said that he would fight elections if the people want, he will not, if the people don’t want.”
Amritpal Singh, identified as a pro-Khalistani separatist and Waris Punjab De Chief, has been incarcerated since April last year, with the National Security Act invoked against him and nine associates. His arrest followed a police crackdown initiated on March 18, 2023, after supporters stormed Ajnala police station in Amritsar demanding the release of one of his aides, Lovepreet Toofan.The government recently extended the NSA against Amritpal and his associates, who remain detained at Dibrugarh jail in Assam.