IN what could be a major concern for the Indian authorities, Khalistani separatist leader Amritpal Singh, who was arrested last year and is in jail at the moment, defeated his nearest rival in Khadoor Sahib parliamentary constituency in the northern state of Punjab where he contested the general election this year as an Independent.
The Waris Punjab De (Heirs of Punjab) chief is currently in a prison in the north-eastern state of Assam under the National Security Act.
Singh won by a margin of nearly 200,000 votes against the Indian National Congress's Kulbir Singh Zira.
Also Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, son of Beant Singh, one of the assassins of former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi, defeated the Aam Aadmi Party's Karamjit Singh Anmol by more than 70,000 votes.
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Experts, however, said that the instances of Singh and Khalsa winning in elections should be seen as a development issue and not a separatist problem, News18 reported.
Singh, who is reportedly inspired by former extremist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale during the anti-terror operation at Punjab's Golden Temple in 1984, was arrested following a massive manhunt by the police last year. His arrest came after several of his loyalists had stormed a police station in Punjab with arms seeking the release of a jailed aide.
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The arrest also had international repercussions as a pro-Khalistan mob attacked Indian diplomatic assets in the UK and US, triggering a concern in New Delhi which urged those countries to rein in Khalistani elements operating on their soil.
Khalsa, on the other hand, has run for elections three times unsuccessfully but garnered sympathy by highlighting his youth due to his father's execution after Indira Gandhi's assassination.
BJP supporters celebrate as the party takes lead during the West Bengal Assembly elections result day, at Raiganj, in Uttar Dinajpur district, Monday, May 4, 2026.PTI
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