After winning the Assembly election in Punjab early this year, the Congress today won the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat. Its candidate Sunil Jakhar defeated BJP’s Swaran Salaria with a huge margin of 1,93,219 votes. Jakhar polled 4,99,752 votes while Salaria polled 3,06,533, poll official said. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) nominee Major General (Retd) Suresh Khajuria polled 23,579 votes.
The seat had fallen vacant after the death of BJP MP Vinod Khanna in April this year. The Congress had last won the seat in 2009 when Partap Singh Bajwa defeated BJP’s Vinod Khanna. Khanna was a four-time MP from Gurdaspur and won the seat in 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2014. An elated Jakhar thanked voters for his resounding victory in the bypoll.
VICTORY FOR CONGRESS
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said it was a victory for the Congress’ “policies and development agenda” and congratulated Sunil Jakhar. “Congratulations to @sunilkjakhar ji for his impressive win in #Gurdaspur bypoll, it’s a victory for @INCPunjab policies & development agenda,” Amarinder tweeted.
“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,” said state cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. He said the victory was a slap on the faces of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia.
Punjab BJP secretary Vineet Joshi alleged that the Congress misused the official machinery in the bypoll. AAP candidate Maj. Gen. (Retd) Suresh Khajuria also accused the Congress of using “undemocratic means” in the bypoll.
IUML WINS VENGARA BYPOLL
Meanwhile, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) candidate KNA Khader won the Vengara by-election in Kerala today with a huge margin of more than 23,000 votes.
IUML chief PK Kunhalikutty who vacated the Vengara seat and later won the Malappuram Lok Sabha seat earlier this year said the CPI-M used all its might but IUML was sure of its victory. Kunhalikutty won this seat in the 2016 assembly polls with a margin of over 38,000 vote.
HERE ARE THE LATEST UPDATES:
The #Gurdaspur by-election marks another major step in the revival of @INCIndia, it's clear that party is on upswing ahead of 2019 LS polls
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) October 15, 2017
- Congress’s Sunil Jakhar wins by 1,93,219 votes.
- Congress leads by 1,82,160 after round 13. The grand old party gets 4,56,250 votes, BJP 2,74,090 and AAP with 21,509 votes.
- Congress’ Jakhar now leading by 1,82,000 votes after round 13 of counting.
- Congress leading by 1,70,488 votes after 11th round.
Assure people of #Gurdaspur that every single promise made by @sunilkjakhar will be fulfilled and all development works will be fast-tracked
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) October 15, 2017
- Congress candidate leading by 1,69,640 votes.
- Congress’ Jakhar leading by 1,43,538 votes.
This is a beautiful Diwali gift, packed with a red ribbon, for our would be party president Rahul Gandhi: Navjot Sidhu #GurdaspurByPoll pic.twitter.com/A5SRHoT6VB
— ANI (@ANI) October 15, 2017
- People of Gurdaspur have sent a strong message of their resentment to policies pursued by Modi ji-led Centre: Sunil Jakhar
- Congress candidate Sunil Jakhar leading by 1,34,000 votes.
Punjab: Congress workers and leaders celebrate as party leads by more than 1 lakh votes in #GurdaspurLokSabhaBypoll pic.twitter.com/gYlPec5EKG
— ANI (@ANI) October 15, 2017
- Congress candidate leading by 1 lakh votes.
- Congress leading by 56,643 votes.
- AAP candidate Major General Suresh Kumar Khajuria (retd) on the third spot.
- Jakhar leading by over 8,000 votes from his nearest rival Swarn Salaria of BJP in third round of counting.
- Congress’s Sunil Jakhar extends lead, now is ahead by 42,718 votes.
- After completion of first round of Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bypoll, Congress candidate Sunil Jakhar leads by 14,316 votes.
- Congress leading, BJP second and AAP third. Counting underway
- Counting of votes has begun.
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