Punjab: AAP calls Jalandhar bypoll victory ‘historic’; opposition says it humbly accepts people’s mandate

Chandigarh, May 13 (PTI) Punjab’s ruling party AAP Saturday dubbed its victory in the high-stakes Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll as “historic”, saying it is a stamp of people on the work done by the Bhagwant Mann government in the past one year.

AAP candidate Sushil Rinku won the Jalandhar parliamentary seat after defeating Congress’ Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary by a margin of 58,691 votes.

Rinku polled 3,02,279 votes while Chaudhary secured 2,43,588 votes, according to the Election Commission data.

Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi, who was also backed by the Mayawati-led BSP, was at the third spot while BJP nominee Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal was at the fourth spot.

Sukhi polled 1,58,445 while Atwal got 1,34,800 votes.

Opposition parties Congress, BJP and SAD accepted the mandate of the people and congratulated the AAP for its victory.

Addressing the media in Jalandhar after Rinku’s win in the bypoll, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said it is a “historic” victory of the AAP and thanked the people of Jalandhar parliamentary seat for reposing faith in them.

“AAP registered a historic victory from Jalandhar bypoll,” said Cheema, who was the party’s election in-charge for the Jalandhar bypoll.

He also said voters of Jalandhar parliamentary constituency rejected the false propaganda spread by the opposition parties against the AAP government. “When Rinku was fielded, then different parties leveled accusations and tried to play dirty politics over the issue but people of Jalandhar seat showered love to the AAP,” he said.

Cheema said the “guarantees” which were promised by the AAP before the 2022 assembly polls, were being fulfilled by the Mann government. And this victory is a stamp of people on the same, he said.

“We went to people with guarantees like giving free electricity, opening of mohalla clinics, schools of eminence and the people of Jalandhar seat put a stamp on them,” said Cheema who was accompanied by ministers Harjot Singh, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and Harbhajan Singh.

Winning candidate Sushil Rinku thanked voters of the Jalandhar parliamentary seat for making him victorious and said he will be working on pending projects like smart city, Jalandhar airport and Adampur flyover etc.

He further said his efforts will be to raise issues of Punjab in Parliament.

AAP MP Raghav Chadha also thanked the voters of Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat for the victory and said his party is now back in the Lok Sabha.

“The AAP is back in the Lok Sabha! Congratulations to @AamAadmiParty ‘s Sushil Kumar Rinku on winning the Jalandhar by-poll.Thank you, Jalandhar! Today’s win reflects the strengthening of people’s faith in @ArvindKejriwal s leadership and @BhagwantMann’s pro-people governance” said Chadha.

The Congress, which lost its citadel to the AAP, said it humbly accepts people’s mandate with Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring congratulating the AAP for its victory in the bypoll.

“We humbly accept people’s mandate! I thank party workers, volunteers, supporters and the entire @INCPunjab leadership, for the hard work & efforts put in by them for the #JalandharByElection. I congratulate Sushil Rinku & AAP party for the victory.”

Senior Congress leader Partap Singh Baja thanked party workers and leaders for putting up a united show and said they will come back stronger in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

“We humbly accept the verdict of people of Jalandhar. I thank all the @INCPunjab leaders and workers for putting a united show and fighting the election till the very end. Congratulations to @AAPPunjab and Sushil Rinku on the victory. We will come back stronger in 2024 LS Polls,” Bajwa tweeted.

However, Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu while reacting to the bypoll, tweeted, “Meanwhile the Jalandhar by-election In Punjab was a “POLICE ACTION” ..

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal also thanked voters of Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat and said his party accepts the “mandate with humility.”

“We thank the voters of #Jalandhar and accept the mandate with humility in the true democratic traditions of our party. We congratulate the winner Sushil Kumar Rinku & @AamAadmiParty and hope that they will live up to the voters’ expectations,” said Badal.

“I also thank all the leaders and workers of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) combine for working hard and putting up a brave fight against all odds including the might of two governments, the Centre and the state,” he further said in his tweet.

Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma also said his party accepts the mandate of the people of Jalandhar parliamentary constituency.

“We accept whatever mandate is given by the people in Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll. Congratulations to AAP candidate Sushil Rinku,” Sharma said in a tweet.