SAD votes ‘transferred’ to AAP in Dera Baba Nanak, Gidderbaha, claims Congress’ Bajwa

Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa on Saturday claimed the vote bank of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which stayed away from the bypolls under a “well-planned strategy”, was “transferred” to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), leading to its victory in Dera Baba Nanak and Gidderbaha Assembly segments.

In a boost to Punjab’s ruling party, the AAP wrested Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak and Chabbewal Assembly segments, while the Congress won the Barnala seat in the bypolls, the results of which were declared on Saturday.

The bypolls, which took place on November 20, were necessitated after the incumbent legislators were elected to the Lok Sabha earlier this year.

Bajwa, the Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly, further said the ruling AAP’s “fort has been demolished” with his party’s victory in Barnala seat.

“Winning this (Barnala) seat is giving a clear cut message that the Congress will form the government in 2027, while the AAP will be on its way out,” he claimed while addressing the media here.

Bajwa further said that the SAD stayed out of the bypolls “under a well-planned strategy”.

“What deal took place between the AAP and the SAD leadership will be known in coming votes and this entire vote (of SAD) was transferred and then this result (Dera Baba Nanak and Gidderbaha) came,” he claimed.

The SAD took the decision not to participate in the bypolls after Sukhbir Singh Badal, who has now resigned as the party president, failed to get any temporary relief from the Akal Takht, which declared him ‘tankhaiya’ (person guilty of religious misconduct), for the ‘mistakes’ committed by his party and government from 2007 to 2017.

The bypoll results came as a big setback for Punjab Congress chief and Ludhiana MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Randhawa as their spouses lost the bypolls in Gidderbaha and Dera Baba Nanak, the seats considered as their strongholds.

Referring to the results, Bajwa added the BJP was completely rejected in the bypolls.

He said that BJP candidates Manpreet Badal from Gidderbaha, Sohan Singh Thandal from Chabbewal and Ravi Karan Singh Kahlon lost their security deposits.

In Barnala, Congress candidate Kuldeep Singh Dhillon defeated AAP nominee Harinder Singh Dhaliwal by 2,157 votes.

In the multi-cornered contest, Dhillon secured 28,254 votes while Dhaliwal got 26,097 votes. BJP candidate Kewal Singh Dhillon secured 17,958 votes, while AAP rebel and independent candidate Gurdeep Singh Batth secured 16,899 votes.

Barnala seat was seen as the AAP’s citadel. Party’s Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, who is now Sangrur MP, represented the Barnala segment in 2017 and 2022.