Chandigarh: Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), the party of jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, announced on August 10 that Satwant Singh will be its first candidate for the Punjab assembly elections scheduled for early next year. Satwant Singh is the son of Kehar Singh, who was convicted in the conspiracy to assassinate former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and was executed. Tarsem Singh, father of Amritpal Singh, stated that the choice honors families who sacrificed for the community and Punjab. Satwant Singh, a retired bank employee from Mustafabad village in Bassi Pathana, had campaigned for Sarabjit Singh Khalsa in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Indira Gandhi was killed by her bodyguards Beant Singh and Satwant Singh on October 31, 1984, following Operation Bluestar. Kehar Singh was hanged with Satwant Singh in Tihar jail on January 6, 1989. In the 2024 elections, Khalsa won Faridkot as an independent and Amritpal Singh secured Khadoor Sahib. Tarsem Singh emphasized that the party focuses on Panthic principles and Punjab rights rather than solely seeking power, and that families of those who made sacrifices deserve organizational roles. Several relatives of Kehar Singh attended the announcement. Dakha MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali added that Amritpal Singh, currently held in Assam’s Dibrugarh jail under the National Security Act since his 2023 arrest, will contest the assembly polls as the party’s chief ministerial face.
