Spotlight On Punjab’s Majitha Constituency As Bikram Majithia Stands Against Lalli Majithia, Jagga Majithia

Punjab will go to the polls on February 20 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10.

New Delhi: Weeks ahead of the Punjab Assembly election 2022, the high-profile Majitha Assembly constituency in Punjab’s Majha region is garnering a lot of attention of observers owing to the Majithia versus Majithia versus Majithia — three namesakes in the fray. Falling under the Amritsar Lok Sabha Constituency, the Vidhan Sabha seat is considered the bastion of Bikram Singh Majithia, the second tallest leader Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) after Badals. Bikram Majitha, who is a three-time MLA from the seat, is up against his arch-rival and former Congress leader Sukhjinder Raj Singh Lalli Majithia, who recently joined the Aam Aadmi Party. To give the two tall leaders a tough fight, Congress has fielded Lalli Majithia’s younger brother and a first-time candidate Jagwinder Pal Singh, alias Jagga Majithia, while BJP has bet upon Pradeep Singh Bhullar to win the polls.

Majitha Assembly Election Results 2017

Key Factors At Play In 2022 Assembly Polls

Bikram Majithia, also known as “Majhe da jarnail” (the general of Majha) within SAD, is currently evading jail term after he was booked under various sections of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act in December 21.

Lalli Majithia, who had lost last three consicutive Assembly elections consecutively to Bikram Majithia, recently tuned coat from Congress and joined the Aam Aadmi Party, and is expected to give a tough fight being a native of the town. In 2017, where Bikram Majithia received the 54.07 per cent of votes, Lalli gave a tough fight to him and received 35.27 per cent votes.

The Panthic politics of Majha region at Play

Amritsar district falls in the Majha region of Punjab that is adjacent to the International Border with Pakistan. It is often said that politics of the region runs Punjab. The region that consists of four border districts– Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, and Pathankot– is the centre of Sikh panthic (religious) politics. Though the region only account for 25 of the 117 seats in the Punjab Assembly, but have played a dominant role in the state’s electoral fate. The region is credited for helping SAD wrestle the power from Congress, at the time led by Capt Amarinder Singh, and form the government in 2007.

Who Rules Majitha Over The Years

Complete schedule for Punjab Assembly Polls:

• Issue of notification: January 21
• Last date of notification: January 28
• Scrutiny of nomination: January 29
• Last date of withdrawal of candidature: January 31
• Date of poll:  February 20
• Counting of votes: March 10