Counting of votes in the high-stakes Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bypoll took place on Sunday morning, the voting to which took place on Wednesday. The bypoll is being viewed as a barometer for the popularity of the six-month-old Congress government in the state. The Gurdaspur seat fell vacant following the demise of actor-turned-politician Vinod Khanna of the BJP in April.
- Polling for the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha by poll took place on Wednesday
- Around 56 percent voter turn out
- Counting of votes took place on Sunday
- Congress' Sunil Jakhar won the elections by 1.9 lakh votes
Congress gets 4,99,752 votes, BJP 3,06,533 and AAP 23,579
Punjab CM hails Congress win as an indication of the party's revival
"Win a Big Slap on the Face of Jija-Sala," Says Navjot Singh Sidhu
Punjab Cabinet Minister and former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu today likened the Congress' victory in the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bypoll to winning a Test cricket match by an innings and said it would have a demoralising effect on the BJP-SAD combine.
This win is a big slap on the face of jija- sala (Sukhbir Badal-Bikram Majithia). Today, the BJP will feel that the Akali Dal in Punjab, especially the jija-sala, have become a burden.Navjot Singh Sidhu
Sidhu, who switched over to Congress from the BJP just before the Punjab Assembly polls, also said, "We have sent a beautiful Diwali gift packed with red ribbon to our (Congress) would-be president Rahul Gandhi because it sets the tone... It will be a shot in the arm for the Congress.”
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“This win is not small, this is huge. When a (cricket) team loses by five runs or by a narrow margin, it still stands up to put a fight in another contest. But when somebody loses by 400 runs or suffers an innings defeat, it breaks the back,” he added.
It is an innings defeat for them (SAD-BJP combine). It is a demoralising defeat for them, it has sent them packing.Navjot Singh Sidhu
"Gurdaspur Win Has Shown That Congress is On The Path of Revial Across the Country:" Punjab CM
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today hailed the Congress win in the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bypoll as a "total rejection of the anti-people policies" of the BJP and its ally the SAD and said it underlines the "political annihilation" of the AAP.
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He said that the Gurdaspur result has once again shown that the Congress is on the path of revival across the country and hailed it as a victory for the Congress and the party's policies and development agenda.
The chief minister assured the people of Gurdaspur that every single promise made by the party will be fulfilled and development works will be fast-tracked.
The winning candidate Sunil Jakhar said that the Saffron party must read the writing on the wall.
"People have rejected the BJP and also shown mirror to (their ally) the Akalis," he said.
He also added that as such the Akalis had been wiped out six months ago when they were relegated to the third place in the Punjab assembly elections.
Now, I think this (Gurdaspur win of Congress) will be the beginning of disintegration of SAD because nobody has seen Prakash Singh Badal for the last six months. The new leadership under Sukhbir Singh Badal is on the verge of disintegration. I think the entire SAD is going to be reformed under some new leadership, I believe.Sunil Jakhar
Congress' Sunil Jakhar Declared Winner
Punjab: Congress's Sunil Jakhar wins #GurdaspurLokSabhaBypoll by 1,93,219 votes pic.twitter.com/rZMlF9qTvX
October 15, 2017On 9 October, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh had expressed confidence of winning the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha by-election “with a margin of over two lakhs”, saying his government has brought the state's economy back on track.
Congress secured 4,99,752 votes, while BJP got 3,06,533 and AAP got 23,579.Sardesai Tweets Results, AAP Accepts Defeat
Breaking: Cong wins Gurdaspur by election by 1.5 lakh margin.Don't think it will affect Himachal though: BJP frontrunner here #WarForThrones
October 15, 2017The Leader of Opposition, Sukhpal Singh Khaira of AAP, said:
We humbly accept d verdict of Gurdaspur but remember d track record of PB by-elections 'Jis Di Lathi Uss Di Bhains' Cong lost all during SAD
October 15, 2017'Majha Region Has Always Been AAP Weak Spot, Congress Stronghold'
While Congress looks set for a major win, AAP candidate Major General (Retd) Suresh Khajuria loses his deposit after crashing out of the race. At last count, Congress' Sunil Jakhar is heading towards a big victory with a lead of 1.7 lakh votes.
Poor show by AAP, but Majha is its weakest zone & the strongest zone for Congress. BJP's loss of a seat is a good result all in all. https://t.co/atsjsqVmAf
October 15, 2017Where is the Shiromani Akali Dal?
According to CNN News 18, the role played by former deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal, who managed the poll campaign for the BJP-Akali Dal combine, is now being questioned. Despite huge investment in terms of time and money, he now finds himself trailing by a huge margin.
In another report in The Indian Express, former cabinet minister Sucha Singh Langah of the Akali Dal is said to have indirectly helped the Congress' campaign. He had contested unsuccessfully from this constituency in 2012 and 2017 Assembly elections. On 28 September, just at the start of the election campaign, he was accused of rape and the attention of whole campaign got shifted to his alleged crime.
Congress Celebrates As Jakhar Takes Big Lead
Congratulations to @sunilkjakhar ji for his impressive win in #Gurdaspur bypoll, it's a victory for @INCPunjab policies & development agenda
October 15, 2017Assure people of #Gurdaspur that every single promise made by @sunilkjakhar will be fulfilled and all development works will be fast-tracked
October 15, 2017.@INCIndia candidate Sunil Jakhar leading by more than 10,8000 votes in Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bypoll,it stamps @capt_amarinder Good Governance pic.twitter.com/WHj3PfwO2p
October 15, 2017Sign of changing times & end of Jumlas! Congress adds one more Lok Sabha seat under the leadership of Rahul j!Randeep S Surjewala, Congress MLAPunjab: Congress workers and leaders celebrate as party leads by more than 1 lakh votes in #GurdaspurLokSabhaBypoll pic.twitter.com/gYlPec5EKG
October 15, 2017Congress leaders and workers have started celebrating the impending victory by bursting crackers and distributing sweets in Gurdaspur, Chandigarh and other places.
This is a beautiful Diwali gift, packed with a red ribbon, for our would be party president Rahul Gandhi: Navjot Sidhu #GurdaspurByPoll pic.twitter.com/A5SRHoT6VB
October 15, 2017Ppl of Gurdaspur have sent a strong message of their resentment to policies pursued by Modi Ji led Centre: Sunil Jakhar #GurdaspurByPoll pic.twitter.com/6JMxqdHK0k
October 15, 2017Congress' Sunil Jakhar Takes Enormous Lead
Congress candidate Sunil Jakhar is ahead of his BJP rival Swarn Salaria as votes are being counted in the 11 October by-election to the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency.
#UPDATE: Congress candidate Sunil Jakhar now leads by 1,08,230 votes. Counting underway.
October 15, 2017Jakhar, who is the Punjab Congress president, is leading over Salaria by over one lakh votes after ten rounds of counting. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Major General Suresh Kumar Khajuria (retd) is on the third spot. Khajuria left a counting centre alleging that the voting was rigged by the Congress.
Jakhar remained in the lead from the beginning as the counting of votes polled in the October 11 bypoll began on earlier in the day.
Congress #SunilJakhar : It is referendum on PM Narendra Modi .@IndiaToday #Gurdaspur by poll #Punjab pic.twitter.com/taIqFO3FYg
October 15, 2017The seat was earlier held by the Bharatiya Janata Party, which had won it in the 2014 general elections.
Counting Begins
Counting of votes polled in the 11 October by-election to the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency began on Sunday. The counting was being conducted in centres in Gurdaspur and Pathankot towns.
The fate of 11 candidates will be decided by Sunday afternoon. Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Swarn Salaria, Congress' Sunil Kumar Jakhar, and Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Major General Suresh Kumar Khajuria (retd) are the main contenders.
The fight is crucial for the BJP which is trying to retain the seat, the Congress which recently came to power in Punjab and the AAP which is trying to emerge as a strong contender.
56 Percent Voter Turnout
The voter turnout recorded today was 56 percent, lower than 70.03 percent recorded in the 2014 general elections.
Out of the nine assembly segments falling under the constituency, the Dera Baba Nanak Vidhan Sabha constituency registered maximum 65 percent voting. The Batala Vidhan Sabha constituency recorded the lowest at 50 percent, he said.
Sujanpur recorded 54 percent, Bhoa 60 percent, Pathankot, Gurdaspur and Dinanagar 54 percent each, Qadian 57 percent and Fatehgarh Churian 63 percent.
The polling percentage in the assembly segments was lower than that recorded in the 2017 assembly elections.
Around 41 Percent Voter Turn out Till 3 PM
Till 3 pm today, the Gurdaspur by-polls saw around 41 percent voter turnout. Polling remained largely peaceful except a minor clash between Congress and Akali-BJP workers, an official said.
The SAD accused the Congress, which is ruling Punjab, of threatening Akali workers. "Congress workers thrashed Akali workers in Pahra village today and no FIR has been registered yet," SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema alleged.
On the other hand, AAP candidate retired Major General Suresh Khajuria filed a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) alleging that a Congress worker was trying to influence voters inside a polling booth in village Pangoli in Sujanpur.
BJP, Congress Candidates Visit Polling Booth
BJP candidate Swaran Singh Salaria and Congress candidate Sunil Jakhar visited the polling booth.
Salaria also caste his vote.
Voting Begins in Gurdaspur
Voting for Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat bypoll has begun in Punjab.
Bypoll Result on 15 October
A total of 1,781 polling stations have been set up at 1,257 locations, of which 457 have been declared vulnerable and 83 critical. The Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat has nine assembly segments.
Voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) will be used at all polling stations. Votes will be counted on 15 October and the result will be declared the same day, the official said.
The Punjab government has declared a holiday for all offices, corporations, boards and all educational institutions in the district in view of the bypoll.
Also Read: Gurdaspur Bypoll in Punjab Shows Politics at its Sleaziest Worst
What Does The Bypoll Mean For Amarinder Singh Govt?
The bypoll will gauge the popularity of the Amarinder Singh government which is battling allegations of reneging on its pre-assembly polls promise of farm debt waiver and free smartphones.
The Congress, which had bagged 77 seats in the 117-member Punjab Assembly in February, is keen to keep the winning momentum going.
The BJP has also tried pulling out all the stops to retain the seat, which Khanna had won four times. A victory would give much-needed boost to the BJP, which had bagged just one segment of Sujanpur out of the four seats it had contested in the assembly polls. The BJP's win will also provide a breather to its ally Shiromani Akali Dal, which had been relegated to the third spot in the assembly polls.
The AAP, the main opposition party in Punjab with 20 seats in the House, is also looking to strengthen its presence in the state.
Also Read: After Vinod Khanna's Death, Gurdaspur Seat In For Cong-BJP tussle
High-Stakes Gurdaspur Lok Sabha Bypoll Today
Polling for the high-stakes Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bypoll, which is being seen as a barometer for the popularity of the six-month-old Congress government in Punjab, will be held today.
The seat, which fell vacant following the demise of actor-turned-politician Vinod Khanna of the BJP in April, is expected to witness a three-horse race between the Congress, the BJP and the AAP.
While the Congress has fielded its Punjab unit chief Sunil Jakhar, the BJP has put up businessman Swaran Salaria.
The AAP has placed a bet on Major General (retd) Suresh Khajuria.
As many as 15.22 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the by-election being fought by 11 candidates. Of the total electorate of 15,22,922 in the constituency, 7,12,077 are women and 14 belong to the third gender, official said.Around 30 companies of paramilitary forces and 7,000 Punjab police personnel have been deployed in the constituency.
(With inputs from PTI)
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