The counting process for the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bypoll seat, which is witnessing a three- cornered race among the BJP, the Congress and the AAP, is underway.
Ruling Congress candidate Sunil Jakhar on Sunday won the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bypoll by a huge margin of 1,93,219 votes over his nearest rival BJP contestant Swaran Salaria.
“With this victory, people have reaffirmed faith in the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and at the same time,” said elated Jakhar.
“This is a victory for the Congress and Capt Amarinder Singh,” he said.
Congratulating Jakhar, the Punjab chief minister said it is a victory for the development agenda.
Talking to reporters, state cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said, “We have sent a beautiful Diwali gift packed with red ribbon to our would-be President Rahul Gandhi because it sets the tone…It will be a shot in the arm for the Congress.”
Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bypoll witnessed a three-cornered race contest among major political parties — the Congress, the BJP and the AAP.
The Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat had fallen vacant following the demise of actor-turned-politician Vinod Khanna of the BJP in April.
The bypoll was seen as a barometer for the popularity of the six-month-old Congress government in Punjab.
Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat had been a stronghold of the BJP. Actor-turned-politician Vinod Khanna had remained four- time MP from Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat. Khanna had died of cancer at a hospital in Mumbai on 27 April this year.
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Congress candidate Sunil Jakhar was leading by 68,172 votes over his nearest rival BJP contestant Swaran Salaria in the counting of votes, as per trends available.
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Congress candidate Sunil Jakhar had earlier claimed the bypoll would be a ‘referendum’ on the Modi government. The BJP had also tried pulling out all the stops to retain the seat, which Khanna had won four times on its ticket.
