Stalwarts bite the dust as Jalandhar chooses non-Doabaite Charanjit Channi
Aparna Banerji
Jalandhar, June 4
The overwhelming mandate received by Congress’ former CM and Jalandhar candidate Charanjit Singh Channi in Jalandhar in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections is also marked by a simultaneous rejection of the conventional politics of Doaba and its myriad leaders and dynasts. The electorates of Jalandhar have placed their bets on a non-Doabite this time, over conventional Dalit leaders of the region, marking a shift in perceptions and old-school politics.
Former Congress leader and this year’s AAP candidate Rajkumar Chabbewal is the only Doaba leader who has been able to retain his seat in the 2024 elections. Other Doaba leaders — those contesting in the region and outside it — have faced rejection by voters this year.
In his win, Chabbewal has also wrested away Hoshiarpur from BJP, the bastion which was won by the saffron party in 2014 and 2019.
Union Minister Som Prakash, a senior Doaba Dalit leader of the BJP, had won the seat in 2019. While former BJP Union Minister Vijay Sampla was miffed at the ticket being handed to Prakash’s wife, Anita Som Prakash, Sampla’s displeasure and resultant infighting on the seat has clearly cost dear for the party.
Meanwhile, other Doaba leaders and Dalit dynasts, for whom these elections have proven an hour of reckoning, include the Chaudhary and Kaypee families.
The ticket denial to Chaudhary scion and Phillaur MLA Vikramjit Chaudhary sparked a rebellion from him against the Congress with constant jibes directed at Channi (Vikramjit’s mother Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary also embraced the BJP). With Channi’s massive win, Vikramjit is faced with the uphill task of upholding his family’s legacy in Doaba’s politics.
Another Channi adversary (and relative) Dalit leader Mohinder Singh Kaypee, had quit Congress and joined Akali Dal, to oppose Channi, amidst ticket denials by the Congress in previous elections. Kaypee has lost his deposit making it to the fourth spot in the Jalandhar LS constituency with merely 67,811 votes.
AAP leader Pawan Tinu’s decision to quit SAD and try his political destiny from the AAP for the first time has proven a misadventure with him being relegated to the third spot on the Jalandhar seat, losing ground gained by AAP last year. Tinu has received 2,08,889 votes as he trailed to third position by a massive 1,75,993 votes and behind BJP’s Rinku by 5,171 votes.
Another Doabite whose outing did not result in a cheery outcome this year is Bholath MLA Sukhpal Khaira. This is the second time Khaira tested the fickle waters of the LS polls outside Doaba. (He had also unsuccessfully contested General elections from Bathinda in 2019 against Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Raja Warring and AAP’s Baljinder Kaur, finishing fourth). While he sprang surprises by clinching wins in Bholath against Congress and AAP waves, respectively, in 2017 and 2022, he has lost the Sangur seat this year, to AAP’s Meet Hayer by 1,72,560 votes.
Although dissociated from the politics of Doaba for a considerable time, another Doabite who has tasted defeat in the 2024 LS polls is Faridkot BJP candidate Han Raj Hans. The Jalandhar- bred Sufi-singer turned politician who is the sitting BJP MP from North West Delhi, made a foray into Punjab politics after a long time this year. He has finshed fifth on the Faridkot seat (with 123533 votes), which has been won by Independent Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa. Hans’ 2009 election outing from Jalandhar (then as as a SAD candidate) had ended in a defeat from then Congress leader Mohinder Singh Kaypee. He had secured a massive victory against AAP rival Gugan Singh in the 2019 election in the North West Delhi seat.
Dalit dynasts crushed
Doaba leaders and Dalit dynasts, for whom these elections have proven an hour of reckoning, include the Chaudhary and Kaypee families. The ticket denial to Chaudhary scion and Phillaur MLA Vikramjit Chaudhary sparked a rebellion from him against the Congress with constant jibes directed at Channi. Dalit leader Mohinder Singh Kaypee had quit Congress and joined the Akali Dal to oppose Channi, amidst ticket denials by the Congress in previous elections. Kaypee lost his deposit, making it to the fourth spot.
