Independent candidate loses Tarn Taran bypoll: his 13th contest without any win

After the bypoll result, he told the media that voters continue to chase mainstream parties and do not give space to “a common man who wants to serve them”.

In June this year, Neetu Shatranwala stepped outside his home turf and contested the Ludhiana West bypoll securing only 112 votes.

Neetu Shatranwala, an independent candidate, on Friday lost the byelection for the Tarn Taran constituency where he managed to secure 464 votes, marking his 13th contest — including municipal polls — without a single win. Notably, NOTA received 609 votes.

After the bypoll result, he told the media that voters continue to chase mainstream parties and do not give space to “a common man who wants to serve them”.

A shutter manufacturer and content creator, Neetu (40), is a resident of Jalandhar North and belongs to a reserved category.

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Often known for dramatic reactions after defeats, this time after losing, he sang a song against the drug menace in Punjab. Later, he demanded that the suspension of the Tarn Taran SSP be revoked.

He told The Indian Express, “This was my 13th election, I got defeated but… I will contest again. I am not well read as I never went to school after class 3, but I have the will to serve the society… will fight against drugs, for better job opportunities, education whether I win elections or not.”

Shatranwala first attracted attention during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections when he contested from Jalandhar and received only 856 votes. He was seen crying after the results, blaming the EVM machine and had then vowed not to contest again.

However, he went on to unsuccessfully contest the 2019 Phagwara Vidhan Sabha bypoll in October and then the 2022 assembly polls from Mullanpur Dakha constituency. He also unsuccessfully contested in the 2023 Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll in May (held after the death of Congress MP Chaudhary Santokh Singh).

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In the 2023 Jalandhar West assembly bypoll held in July, he managed to secure only 236 votes and 1,879 votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Jalandhar. In June this year, he stepped outside his home turf and contested the Ludhiana West bypoll securing only 112 votes.
Interestingly, he enjoys a strong social media following of over 84,000 followers on Instagram and 1,74,000 subscribers on YouTube.

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