Sangrur bypoll: Campaigning in full swing by parties' top brass for their candidates

Chandigarh, Jun 11 (PTI) The electoral contest for the June 23 bypoll to Sangrur Lok Sabha seat has gathered steam with senior leaders of the political parties aggressively canvassing for their respective candidates.

Sangrur Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after Bhagwant Mann contested and won from Dhuri assembly segment in the 2022 assembly elections.

Mann, who at present is the Punjab Chief Minister, had won from Sangrur parliamentary seat in 2014 and 2019.

Polling at the seat will be held on June 23 while counting will take place on June 26.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won the constituency’s all nine assembly segments -Lehra, Dirba, Barnala, Sunam, Bhadaur, Mehal Kalan, Malerkotla, Dhuri and Sangrur -- in the 2022 assembly elections.

The bypoll will be the AAP's first major electoral battle after it formed the government in Punjab in March.

The AAP has fielded Gurmail Singh, who is the party's Sangrur district in-charge, while the Congress has placed its bet on former Dhuri MLA Dalvir Singh Goldy.

The BJP has fielded former Barnala MLA Kewal Dhillon who joined the saffron party on June 4.

Kamaldeep Kaur, sister of Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict in former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh's assassination case, has been fielded by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for the bypoll.

Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann is also contesting from Sangrur Lok Sabha seat.

While the opposition parties are targeting the AAP over the issue of alleged deteriorating law and order situation, “unfulfilled” pre-poll promises, and new excise policy, the ruling party is relying on highlighting its decisions and crackdown on mafia.

AAP in its campaign has been seen to highlight its decisions such as minimum support price on 'moong' crop, one MLA, one pension, removing encroachment from Panchayat lands, and action against sand mafia taken by the Bhagwant Mann-led government.

From the Congress, senior party leaders, including Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Sing Raja Warring, and Partap Singh Bajwa, the leader of opposition in the Punjab assembly, are campaigning for Dalvir Singh Goldy.

Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma, party leader Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi and several other leaders are camping in Sangrur and are canvassing for Kewal Dhillon.

The AAP has already deputed ministers and MLAs in nine assembly constituencies in the wake of the Sangrur byelection.

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal is also seeking votes in favour of party candidate Kamaldeep Kaur.

While campaigning in Sangrur on Saturday, Punjab Congress chief Warring slammed the AAP-government over the alleged deteriorating law and order situation in the state and “unfulfilled” poll promises.

“Everyone, be it traders, or singers, is fearing for his life, given the current law and order situation in the state,” Warring said.

He also highlighted incidents such as the brutal murder of singer Sidhu Moosewala, clashes between two groups in Patiala and a rocket-propelled grenade attack on the Intelligence headquarters in Mohali.

He also said the AAP used to claim that it was against the “VIP-culture” and but now its leaders have maximum security personnel.

He accused the AAP of not fulfilling its main poll promises of free power and Rs 1,000 per month to all women in the state.

Warring sought votes for Dalvir Singh Goldy, saying he will effectively raise the issues of people in the Parliament.

BJP leader Rana Gurmit Sodhi, who is the party's in-charge for the Sangrur bypoll, took on the AAP government over its new excise policy, saying rather than reducing value added tax on petrol and diesel or other essential items, it made liquor cheaper.

He said because of its lower prices, smuggling of liquor from Punjab to other states will start.

Sodhi also slammed the Bhagwant Mann-led government for a “worsening” law and order situation.

Sodhi said central leaders of the party will also come for campaigning for the bypoll to Sangrur Lok Sabha seat.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal is appealing to people to support the candidature of Kamaldeep Kaur for the June 23 bypoll.

He said his party decided to abide with the wishes of the Akal Takht Jathedar to field a family member of the Sikh prisoners to send a strong message calling for the release of all prisoners who were in jails even after the completion of their life sentences.

“We are fighting for 'bandi Singhs' (Sikh prisoners) and it is a fight for justice,” said Badal.

AAP chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said the party will seek votes on the basis of the pro-people decisions taken by the Bhagwant Mann-led government in the last two-and-a-half months. PTI CHS VSD VN VN