Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency: Election in Amritsar parliamentary constituency will be held in the 7th phase (last phase) on May 19 of the general election 2019. The key contest here is going to be held among BJP's Hardeep Singh Puri, who is also serving as Union Minister in Modi cabinet, Congress' Gurjit Singh Aujla and AAP's Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal.
Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency 2019 candidates
BJP: Hardeep Singh PuriCongress: Gurjit Singh AujlaAAP: Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal
Excited about contesting his first election from this holy town, Union minister Hardeep Puri says the BJP will avenge its 2014 defeat as it has fielded a Sikh candidate and there is a "definite consolidation" of the community's votes.
The diplomat-turned-politician, a Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh, said Amritsar missed an opportunity in 2014 by electing Congress' Captain Amarinder Singh, who didn't show up for three years despite being its MP.
In a high profile contest in 2014, Amarinder Singh defeated BJP heavyweight Arun Jaitley by more than one lakh votes in Amritsar, famed as the Golden Temple town. He resigned in 2017 after being elected chief minister of Punjab.
In 2014, there was the expectation that Modiji would become the prime minister ... look at the opportunity Amritsar missed? Everywhere I go, people tell me they made a serious mistake by electing Captain Amarinder Singh, who didn't show up in Amritsar, Puri told PTI in an interview.
Declaring that the party will avenge its 2014 defeat, Puri said there is strong anti-incumbency against the Congress government in the state.
Meanwhile, the Congress is keeping its hope on its sitting MP in the region Gurjit Singh Aujla.
Amritsar Lok Sabha results 2014, 2009 and 2004
2014
Winning candidate: Captain Amarinder Singh (Congress)
Losing candidate: Arun Jaitley (BJP)
2009
Winning candidate: Navjot Singh Sidhu (BJP)
Losing candidate: Om Parkash Soni (Congress)
2004
Winning candidate: Navjot Singh Sidhu (BJP)
Losing candidate: Surinder Singla (Congress)
Punjab has 13 parliamentary constituencies where the election will be held in the last phase of the general election on May 19. In 2014, out of total 13 Lok Sabha seats, Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal's led SAD) had won 4 seats, Kejriwal's AAP had also won 4 seats, Congress bagged 3 seats and BJP won only 2 seats. The vote share of the Congress party in 2014 was 33.2%, while BJP got only 8.8% votes.
Lok Sabha election 2019 is being held in 7 phase. Voting in the first six phases have already got over while the 7th and the last phase will go to polls on May 19. Counting of votes will be held on May 23.
(With inputs from PTI)