July 13: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) achieved a decisive victory in the Jalandhar (West) assembly bypoll, securing the seat in a one-sided contest. The election, held on July 10, saw AAP candidate Mohinder Bhagat triumph over his rivals, further solidifying the party’s influence in Punjab.
This bypoll was necessitated following the resignation of the previous AAP MLA, Sheetal Angural, who defected to the BJP earlier this year. Angural contested the bypoll on a BJP ticket, creating a high-stakes battle between the two parties. The Congress fielded Surinder Kaur, a prominent Dalit leader, while the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) supported the Bahujan Samaj Party’s (BSP) nominee, Binder Kumar.
AAP’s victory is seen as a significant boost for Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who had heavily campaigned for Bhagat. Mann’s active involvement, including moving his family to the constituency and engaging in extensive public outreach, underscored the importance of this election for the party. Mann promised that Bhagat would be given a cabinet position if he won, emphasizing the benefits of having an AAP representative in the government for the constituency.
The results reflect the electorate’s support for AAP’s governance and policies, despite the party’s recent underperformance in the Lok Sabha elections. This win is expected to bolster the party’s morale and consolidate its standing in Punjab politics.
