AMBALA: In a first, Haryana’s regional party Indian National Lok Dal (
INLD
) gave Ambala (reserved) Lok Sabha ticket to a
Sikh candidate
,
Gurpreet Singh
, a lawyer, practicing at Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh.
Gurpreet Singh, a 28-year-old youth, belongs to Karnal, where his family owns a petrol pump also. After completing his LLB, Gurpreet Singh is practicing at the high court.
He is presently living in Panchkula.
Talking to TOI, Gurpreet Singh said, “I feel that Ambala region has been ignored so far by the MPs who were elected in the past as they did not go among the people after getting their votes. I will remain among the people to serve for them.”
To a query about his priority, Gurpreet Singh said, “Raising voice in the Parliament for farmers, minimum support price and implementation of Swaminathan report, as these issues have not been raised by Ambala MP.”
About INLD’s decision to field a Sikh candidate, Gurpreet said, “With this decision of the party, respect has been given to Sikhs. A message has been given that a Sikh candidate can also win from Ambala. I was impressed with the thinking of Abhay Singh Chautala Ji. The party gave an opportunity to a Sikh candidate, especially a young one of 28 years old like me.”
Gurpreet has also earlier worked with Congress for one year (in 2023) in Delhi and later, he got impressed with INLD ideology.
Ambala Parliamentary constituency marks a significant number of Sikh voters, about 12%, as per electoral roll for 2014 polls, while the same for Hindus was 85%, Muslims 2% and others 1%. Nine assembly seats fall in
Ambala Lok Sabha
segment across Panchkula, Ambala and Yamunanagar districts, including Panchkula, Kalka, Naraingarh, Ambala City, Ambala Cantonment, Mullana, Sadhaura, Jagadhri and Yamunanagar respectively.
Total number of registered voters with the chief election officer (CEO), Haryana, till January 2024, in all nine assembly constituencies of Ambala Lok Sabha are 19,78,278.
All these constituencies have a significant Sikh population, due to the presence of historical shrines and places related to Sikh Gurus and personalities in these areas.
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