CHANDIGARH, Punjab—In the by-elections held on August 21, Congress candidate Perneet Kaur has won Patiala seat, whereas Talwandi Sabo seat has been swept by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates on both seats could not even save their security deposits from being lost.
In Patiala assembly constituency, former Union Minister of India, Preneet Kaur, wife of Captain Amrinder Singh, conquered the seat defeating her main rival Bhagwan Dass Juneja of SAD by a margin of 23, 282 votes. The seat fell vacant after Capt. Amrinder Singh was elected as Member of Parliament from Amritsar Lok Sabha segment.
Perneet Kaur got 52,967 votes, SAD candidate Bhagwan Dass Juneja 29,685 and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Harjit Singh Adaltiwala 5,724.
In Talwandi Sabo, Shiromani Akali Dal’s candidate Jeet Mohinder Singh bagged the huge victory by a margin of 46,642 votes defeating his nearest rival Harminder Jassi of the Congress. In this assembly segment, SAD has registered first victory in last 29 years.
This constituency fell vacant after Mr. Sidhu resigned as Congress MLA after joining the SAD. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Prof. Baljinder Kaur and independent candidate Balkar Sidhu lost their security deposits. Prof. Baljinder Kaur could only get around 6,000 votes and Singer turned politician Balkar Sidhu around 1,500.
The results especially indicate the instant down fall of Aam Aadmi Party in the state. Some experts say that people of the state have rejected the party upon which they have hoped of triggering new revolution here with the motive to root out corrupt system and materialize pro-people oligarchy. On the other hand, AAP supporters have blamed the Akalis and Congress for joining a nexus to defeat AAP candidates in both constituencies.
