Lost poll, but will fulfil all promises, says Manpreet

BJP candidate and former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, who got 12,227 votes, lost his security deposit and remained on the third position in the Gidderbaha bypoll, today claimed that he would fulfil all promises made to people and remain active in the constituency.

Some BJP supporters distributed ‘laddoos’ at his office here. “The ‘laddoos’ are not distributed for yesterday’s results. We have sounded the poll bugle for 2027 today,” said Manpreet.

In a recorded video message, he congratulated newly elected AAP MLA Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon and claimed that people defeated Congress nominee Amrita Warring as they were against Pradesh Congress Committee chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.

“A number of people told me that they will vote and support me in the 2027 election. Warring’s money could not save them from defeat. He had always targeted the Badal family for its politics of inheritance. When his own time came, he got the party ticket for his family member,” said Manpreet.

He added, “I know two months are not enough for an election, but I will identify my mistakes, work on them and try to win the next election.”

Since 2022, there is no Badal family member in the Vidhan Sabha and this bypoll was a chance for Manpreet. He had been elected as the Gidderbaha MLA four times in a row — in 1995 (a byelection), 1997, 2002 and 2007 — as a SAD candidate.

The Warring couple today met the Congress workers at their residence in Muktsar and claimed that they would remain active in the constituency.