In a major setback to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) leader Simranjit Singh Mann on Sunday won the Sangrur Lok Sabha bypoll, the home constituency of Chief Minister and AAP leader Bhagwant Singh Mann. Mann won the by-election with 2,53,154 votes thus defeating the candidate of the ruling party in the previous Lok Sabha seat by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. “This is a big victory for our party. We have defeated all national parties in this by-election. My priority will be to raise the issue of Sangrur’s poor economic condition including the debt situation of farmers. We work with the Punjab government.” Will do,” Mann said.
He said, “I am grateful to our voters of Sangrur for electing me as their representative in the Parliament. I will work hard to alleviate the sufferings of farmers, farm-labourers, traders and everyone in my area.” Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal congratulated Mann and said, “I heartily congratulate Sardar Simranjit Singh Mann and his party on their electoral victory in the Sangrur parliamentary by-election and extend their best wishes and cooperation. We bow before the mandate of the people in true democratic spirit.”
Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Waring also congratulated Mann. The result reflects public displeasure at the insensitive and inept governance of the Aam Aadmi Party,” Waring tweeted.
Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu, on the other hand, hit out at the Sukhbir Badal-led SAD for the defeat of its candidate. “Violent terrorists and sinking Akali Dal representative Kamaldeep Rajoana is ready to forfeit his deposit and is facing huge loss by getting only 5 percent votes. Sukhbir Badal, Pannu2020 and Rajoana should come and save the bail of their candidates. Must try now.” Bittu said in a Twitter post.
BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the Sangrur bypoll results show that Punjab has rejected the AAP government’s Delhi model. “Punjab has clearly rejected the Delhi model. AAP losing the Sangrur bypoll in Punjab is a warning sign for Bhagwant Mann to take over,” Sirsa said in a Twitter post.
Sangrur is known to be the stronghold of AAP’s incumbent Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, from where he won the parliamentary seat in 2014 and 2019. The seat fell vacant after Mann resigned as MP from Dhuri constituency in the state assembly elections. Apart from Sangrur. Counting of votes for by-elections in two other Lok Sabha constituencies of Uttar Pradesh – Rampur and Azamgarh – took place on Sunday.