Jalandhar Bypoll: BJP’s pick, infighting among Congress leaders worked to AAP’s advantage

Rajmeet Singh

Chandigarh, July 13

The BJP’s choice of a “controversial” candidate and differences among Congress leaders worked to the advantage of the AAP, which won the Jalandhar West Assembly bypoll by a margin of 37,325 votes.

More than the BJP, it has come as a rude shock for the Congress as it has been pushed to the third place. After the exit of Sushil Rinku to the AAP, and later the BJP, there was no established leadership in the urban constituency. This also worked to the disadvantage of the Congress, which has a stronger vote bank in rural areas.

Reacting to the AAP’s win, the opposition parties have alleged misuse of official machinery, pressure tactics, and the use of other unfair means.

Sources in the BJP said party leaders in Jalandhar were not happy with the choice of Sheetal Angural, who had courted controversy. His resignation as an MLA and shifting loyalty not only did him in, but also proved to be counterproductive for the party.

“People rejected turncoat Sheetal Angural, but accepted Mohinder Bhagat, who shifted from the BJP to the AAP. It is more to do with the manner in which the campaign was handled,” claimed a senior AAP leader.

BJP state chief Sunil Jakhar said the fact that the entire AAP government machinery had to sit in Jalandhar for one bypoll reflects on governance in the past over two years. Asked about the choice of candidate, he said that was a non-issue.

Political analysts point out that the BJP won 42,837 votes in the Assembly segment in the last parliamentary elections, but now, the votes have been reduced to 17,921.

It was a bigger embarrassment for the Congress, which got 16,757 as against 44,394 votes in the parliamentary poll. The power play among the top state Congress leaders was visible during the campaign. “The onus on winning the Jalandhar seat was on MP Charanjit Channi, and it would have consolidated his position in the party. The poll outcome is a warning to leaders to get their act together for the upcoming four Assembly byelections,” said a senior party leader from Jalandhar.

The Congress, which had been riding high after giving ticket to a grassroots party worker, and attacking party hoppers, failed to make any impact. In his defence, PPCC chief Amarinder Raja Warring claimed that in the past 48 hours, there was a total misuse of official machinery. “We are preparing for the coming byelections,” he stated.