Political Maneuvering: SAD Candidate Courts Controversy by Seeking Support from Amritpal's Family

SAD's Virsa Valtoha met the family of radical preacher Amritpal Singh, lodged in Assam jail, to seek support for his candidacy in the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha seat. Amritpal, head of 'Waris Punjab De' and an Independent candidate, is also in the fray. The Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) has pledged support to Amritpal. Other candidates include AAP's Laljit Bhullar and BJP's Manjit Manna. Khadoor Sahib is a 'Panthic' seat with nine assembly constituencies.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate from Punjab's Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha seat Virsa Singh Valtoha on Monday met the family of radical preacher Amritpal Singh in Amritsar and sought their support.

Amritpal, the chief of the 'Waris Punjab De' outfit who is lodged in Assam's Dibrugarh jail under the National Security Act, is also in the fray from Khadoor Sahib as an Independent.

In a Facebook post, Valtoha, whose candidature was announced by his party on Sunday, said he met Amritpal's family in the morning.

He discussed the Lok Sabha polls with Singh's family and urged them to support him, according to the post.

On Sunday, the Simranjit Mann-led Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) had said it would support Amritpal.

Mann said his party will withdraw its candidate from the seat after Amritpal files his nomination papers.

Valtoha, who is also the SAD's spokesperson, was elected as MLA in 2007 and 2012. He had unsuccessfully contested from Khem Karan assembly seat in the 2022 state elections.

Besides Valtoha and Amritpal, AAP's Laljit Singh Bhullar and BJP's Manjit Singh Manna Mianwind are in the fray from Khadoor Sahib, which is currently represented by Congress MP Jasbir Singh Dimpa.

The Congress is yet to name its candidate for the seat.

Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency, a 'Panthic' seat, came into existence in 2008.

The seat comprises nine assembly constituencies -- ”Jandiala, Tarn Taran, Khem Karan, Patti, Khadoor Sahib, Baba Bakala, Kapurthala, Sultanpur Lodhi and Zira.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)