Jalandhar West bypoll: Chaos, allegations, accusations dominate on eve of byelections

Avneet Kaur

Jalandhar, July 9

Usually on the last day before the polls, candidates make last-minute efforts to woo voters through door-to-door visits, indoor meetings, and trips to religious shrines. However, in Jalandhar West, the scene was dominated by allegations, accusations and chaotic events. Political rivals seemed more focused on scrutinising each other’s actions than on directly engaging with the electorate.

Tension erupted near Babrik Chowk

The tension reached a boiling point in the evening near Babrik Chowk. BJP and Congress workers intercepted a Black Scorpio vehicle that contained a box of liquor and AAP flags. The scene quickly devolved into chaos as Angural arrived on the spot, accusing AAP of vote-buying and chastising the police for not taking immediate action.

Though a few candidates, including Congress’ Surinder Kaur and SAD’s Surjit Kaur, along with two of their supporters, took to the streets in certain areas in the morning, trying to connect with residents and promise much-needed development in Jalandhar West, it was BJP candidate Sheetal Angural who opted for a different strategy. Angural spent the day monitoring his rivals’ activities and repeatedly going live on social media to accuse the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of distributing freebies. He claimed that AAP was offering liquor, ration, and suits to voters, aiming to buy their votes rather than earn them through legitimate means.

The tension reached a boiling point in the evening near Babrik Chowk. BJP and Congress workers intercepted a Black Scorpio vehicle that contained a box of liquor and AAP flags. The scene quickly devolved into chaos as Angural arrived on the spot, accusing AAP of vote-buying and chastising the police for not taking immediate action.

“The police are turning a blind eye while AAP blatantly tries to bribe voters,” Angural claimed in an impassioned statement at the site. Meanwhile, police officials of the Division Number 5, maintained that they were conducting an unbiased investigation and examining all aspects of the incident.

Adding to the day’s drama, Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi also accused AAP of distributing suits near Tej Mohan Nagar, further fuelling the allegations of bribery and misconduct against the party. Congress MP Raja Warring also went live, accusing AAP of distributing liquor and suits. He demanded strict action and registration of an FIR in the black Scorpio case, or else they would be forced to hold a protest.Amid these allegations, Angural’s brother, Rajan Angural, also held a press conference and alleged that AAP had been misusing the MC’s machinery and various suction trucks, sweepers trucks etc without number plates were placed at Jalandhar West, and if any accident takes place involving these without number trucks, who will be held responsible? he questioned

Angural’s brother also alleged that some outsiders have been spotted in the Jalandhar West, and they accused opposition parties of bringing these outsiders to threaten people to vote for them.Meanwhile, when contacted Joint Commissioner of Police, Sandeep Sharma, he said that he was on patrol and unaware of the ‘Black Scorpio’ incident, but he would get it checked.