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Lok Sabha Elections 2024 | Supporters of Amritpal Singh hold bike rally in Punjab ahead of LS pollsBike rallies were carried out in the state in support of Amritpal Singh, who is an independent candidate from Khadoor Sahib constituency.
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<div class="paragraphs"><p>Amritpal Singh during an election campaign in Punjab.</p></div>

Amritpal Singh during an election campaign in Punjab.

Credit: Reuters Photo

'Waheguru ji ka khalsa Waheguru ji ki fateh' were the slogans that echoed during the bike rallies that were carried out in Punjab's Khem Karan assembly on Friday.

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Bike rallies were carried out in the state in support of Amritpal Singh, who is an independent candidate from Khadoor Sahib constituency.

The Indian Express quoted many youngsters who were at the rally supporting Amritpal and carried out slogans of ‘Jhoolte nishan rahein panth maharaj ke’.

Not just youngsters, but few older ones too joined the rally in support. They believe that Amritpal Singh has "tried to wean the youth away from drug addiction and who made the youth partake of the ‘Amrit’ (get baptised as Sikh)."

Another follower who attended the rally said that Amritpal is helping the youth from drug menace that has given him widespread support from people of Punjab.

Polling for 13 Lok Sabha constituencies in Punjab and the lone Chandigarh seat will be held on Saturday, with I.N.D.I.A. bloc allies Congress and AAP contesting separately and the SAD and BJP also deciding to test the poll waters alone.

Prominent candidates in the fray are four-time MP Preneet Kaur, former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, three-time MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Ravneet Singh Bittu.

Radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh, who is lodged in Assam's Dibrugarh jail under the National Security Act, is fighting from Khadoor Sahib.

Singh was arrested last year and jailed under a tough security law after he and hundreds of his supporters stormed a police station with swords and firearms, demanding the release of one of his aides.

When questioned about Amritpal's popularity in Punjab, right after returning from Dubai, one of his supporters said, "He left his work in Dubai and came here because he saw the problem of drugs in Punjab."

Clarifying that the real issue is not about Khalistan but sale of drugs in the state; they also believe that the AAP government has not taken any action against the sale of drugs.

"We are not happy with the rampant drug sales and desecration of Guru Granth Sahib," said a supporter, as quoted by the publication.

"We have chosen Amritpal. Let him become an MP and we will see what he does in parliament. Let him form his own party," another supporter told the publication.

(With PTI and Reuters inputs.)

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(Published 31 May 2024, 16:42 IST)