Crushing Defeat For Canada’s Jagmeet Singh, Loses Party Status, Seat – India Relieved

Photo: Screengrab CBC.CA

India-West News Desk

OTTAWA – Canadian politician Jagmeet Singh faced a political collapse in the country’s federal elections, losing not only his own seat in British Columbia but also seeing his New Democratic Party (NDP) stripped of its official status in Parliament.

The stunning defeat forced Singh to announce his resignation as party leader, ending a tenure marked by sharp rhetoric against India and vocal support for the pro-Khalistan movement.

Singh, once hailed as a historic figure for being the first person of an ethnic minority to lead a major Canadian political party, appeared emotional during his concession speech, choking up several times as he confirmed he would stay on temporarily until an interim leader is appointed.

“I gotta keep it together here, folks,” he said, trying to maintain composure while thanking his supporters and his wife, Gurkiran Kaur.

The political downfall marks a dramatic turn for the man who once held significant sway in Canadian politics, even propping up Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s minority government for over two years in exchange for expanded social spending.

But his positions often rankled India and the Diaspora, including his calls to ban the RSS, ideological parent of India’s ruling BJP, and repeated criticism of the Indian government.

With Singh’s exit from political prominence, many in India see his defeat as the end of a strident and often hostile voice that influenced Canadian discourse on Indian affairs.