AAP dominates Punjab bypolls, heavyweights lose

In Gidderbaha, AAP campaigner Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon emerged victorious with 71,644 votes, defeating Amrita Warring, who managed 49,675 votes. Former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, contesting connected a BJP ticket, finished 3rd with 12,227 votes. Once considered his stronghold, Gidderbaha marks different setback for Badal.

Barnala proved to beryllium the lone consolation for Congress, with first-timer Kuldeep Singh Kala Dhillon defeating AAP’s Harinder Singh Dhaliwal. The seat, antecedently held by erstwhile AAP MLA Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, was considered important arsenic it is portion of the Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s location turf.

In Dera Baba Nanak, AAP’s Gurdeep Randhawa defeated Jatinder Kaur Randhawa, aided by evident enactment from Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) person Sucha Singh Langah. Congress insiders claimed that SAD’s tacit enactment for AAP candidates besides impacted results successful Gidderbaha.

AAP’s strongest show came from Chabbewal, wherever Dr Ishank Chabbewal, lad of Congress-turned-AAP person Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal, secured a resounding triumph with a borderline of 28,690 votes implicit Congress’s Ranjit Kumar. While AAP had pledged to debar dynastic politics, this effect helped the enactment consolidate its presumption successful the region.

For BJP, the bypolls were a disappointment. Kewal Dhillon, contesting from Barnala, could lone unafraid the 3rd place.

The Congress accused SAD of indirectly helping AAP by transferring its ballot slope to it. Raja Warring criticised the Akalis for supporting AAP candidates successful Gidderbaha and Dera Baba Nanak, stating, “The Akalis didn’t assistance Manpreet Badal but worked to guarantee AAP’s victory.”