Lok Sabha elections, conducted in seven phases, concluded with the voting in the final phase on June 1. As the curtains fall, all the eyes are set on the counting day when the results will be declared and a way for the formation of the new government under either of the major alliances —-NDA or I.N.D.I.A bloc will be cleared. The results will also be declared for the Lok Sabha constituencies of Punjab. So, before the results are announced, let's quickly look over the constituencies and key candidates in contesting in Punjab.
Lok Sabha constituencies in Punjab
Punjab has 13 Lok Sabha seats, all of which went to polls in the seventh and last phase of general elections on June 1. These 13 constituencies include Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Khadoor Sahib, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Anandpur Sahib, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Firozpur, Bathinda, Sangrur, and Patiala.
Key Political parties
The state is witnessing a quadrupole contest among the Bharatuya Janata Party, Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal, and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is also contesting the polls.
Key candidate contesting the Lok Sabha elections 2024
Some of the prominent candidates in the Lok Sabha elections from Punjab are:
1. Taranjit Singh Sandhu (BJP): Former Diplomat, Sandhu has been the Indian Ambassador to the US. After his retirement in early 2024, he joined the BJP and was declared as a candidate from Amritsar. He is contesting against Congress’ sitting MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, AAP’s Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and SAD’s Anil Joshi.
2. Preneet Kaur (BJP): A four-time MP and the wife of former CM Amrinder Singh, she joined the BJP in 2024. She is contesting from Patiala against Congress’ Dharamveer Gandhi, AAP’s Balbir Singh Dhaliwal and SAD’s Narinder Kumar Sharma.
3. Hans Raj Hans (BJP): Singer-turned-politician, Hans is a sitting MP from the North West Delhi Lok Sabha seat. He is contesting from Faridkot against Congress’ Amarjit Kaur Sahoke, AAP's Karanjit Anmol, and SAD's Rajwinder Singh.
4. Charanjit Singh Channi (Congress): Served as a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly from 2007 to 2022, Channi was the 16th Chief Minister of the state. He is contesting from Jalandhar against Pawan Kumar Tinu (AAP), Mohinder Singh Kaypee (Akali Dal), Sushil Kumar Rinku (BJP).
5. Daljeet Singh Cheema (SAD): A single-term MLA from Ropar constituency, Cheema was the Education Minister in the Punjab government. He is pitted by SAD in Gurdaspur against Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa (Congress), Amansher Singh (AAP), Daljeet Singh Cheema (Akali Dal) and Dinesh Singh (BJP).
6. Harsimrat Kaur Badal (SAD): Harsimrat Badal is contesting on her home turf Bathinda which she has held since 2009. In a four-sided tussle, she is fielded against Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu from Congress, AAP's Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, and BJP's Parampal Kaur Sidhu.
7. Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa (Congress): He has served as the state's Deputy Chief Minister under Charanjit Singh Channi. Randhawa has been MLA from the Dera Baba Nanak seat since 2012. He is contesting from Gurdaspur against AAP's Amansher Singh, Daljeet Singh Cheema of SAD, and Dineah Singh of the BJP.
8. Amrinder Singh (Congress): Better known as Raja Warring, Amrinder is the President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee and has served as a Transport Minister in the Punjab government between 2021-22. He is pitted against Ashok Parashar Pappi (AAP), Ranjit Singh Dhillon (SAD), Ravneet Singh Bittu (BJP).
9. Ravneet Singh Bittu (BJP): Bittu is a three-time MP since 2009 and the grandson of former Punjab CM Beant Singh. In 2009, he was elected from Anandpur Sahib seat and in 2014 from Ludhiana, which he retained in 2019. He is contesting from Ludhiana. He is fighting ob BJP ticket against Amrinder Singh Raja Warring (Congress), Ashok Parashar Pappi (AAP) and Ranjit Singh Dhillon (SAD).
10. Amar Malkiat Singh (Congress): Amar Singh is a former bureaucrat and a Member of Parliament from Fatehgarh Sahib. He is also the Vice President of Punjab Congress. He is contesting in his own seat against AAP's Gurpreet Singh GP, Bikramjit Singh Khalsa of Akali Dal and Gejja Ram Valmiki of BJP.
Some other prominent candidates contesting Lok Sabha candidates in Punjab are Sukhpal Singh Khaira (Congress), Yamini Gomar (Congress), Raj Kumar Chabbewal (AAP), Sohan Singh Thandal (Akali Dal), Anita Som Parkash (BJP), Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer (AAP), Iqbal Singh Jhundan (Akali Dal), Arvind Khanna (BJP), Simranjit Singh Mann (SAD-A), Kulbir Singh Zira (Congress), Laljit Singh Bhullar (AAP), Virsa Singh Valtoha (Akali Dal), Manjeet Singh Manna Mianwind (BJP).
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