Jalandhar Lok Sabha poll: Over to voters as campaign ends, stage set for four-cornered battle

The bypoll is being seen as a litmus test for the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, which smarting under the loss in the Sangrur Parliamentary byelection last year, will be looking to wrest the seat from the Congress.

The Jalandhar Lok Sabha (reserved) seat fell vacant following the death of Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary. He suffered a cardiac arrest during the party’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jalandhar’s Phillaur in January this year.

The Congress has placed its bet on Karamjit Kaur, the wife of late Santokh Chaudhary. It would like to retain the seat, which is considered its traditional stronghold as the party has remained undefeated from here since 1999. Stakes for former allies the BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal are also high and both will like to register victory from this seat in the Doaba region.

Punjab has 31.9 per cent scheduled caste (SC) population, the highest among all states. Most of the SC population is concentrated in the Doaba region.

The SAD in a tie-up with the BSP has fielded Dr Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi from the seat. On the last day of the campaign, Sukhi posed questions to the ruling AAP asking why it did not nominate even one Dalit to the Rajya Sabha when seven seats fell vacant in the Upper House immediately after it formed government in the State. “Not one AAP legislator protested when the government filed an affidavit in the high court stating that SC candidates cannot be given reservation for appointment as law officers (in the Advocate General’s office),” Sukhi said, and alleged that the AAP government insulted Babasaheb BR Ambedkar by not holding an official programme to mark his birth anniversary. “Even the strength of the Scheduled Caste Commission has been halved during AAP tenure”.

“Now is the time to take ‘hisab’ from the AAP government for all the injustices done unto you,” he said.

In another programme, SAD president Sukhbir Badal said the “overwhelming support Sukhi is getting from the masses is testimony to his forthcoming victory”.

Asserting that the ‘gareeb kisan mazdoor’ combination had made up its mind to teach a lesson to both the Congress and AAP for cheating them repeatedly, Badal said, “traders, industrialists, women and youth are also eagerly awaiting the election to put a stamp of rejection on the AAP government”.

He also reminded the electorate of the schemes launched by his father and former five time CM Parkash Singh Badal.

Meanwhile, Cabinet minister Aman Arora, addressing the media, said that “the AAP doesn’t believe in booth capturing, it captures people’s hearts through its work”, and added that in the Assembly elections last year, the people of Punjab rejected all anti-people leaders.

The AAP has fielded former MLA Sushil Rinku, who quit the Congress and joined the ruling party in Punjab.

The Congress, meanwhile presented a united face, as party state unit chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, his predecessor Navjot Singh Sidhu, and former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi took part in a roadshow,

In a press conference, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa raised the issue of sexual misconduct allegations against Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Returning Officer Jaspreet Singh has said all requisite arrangements were in place to ensure a free, fair and peaceful election.

He said all 1,972 polling booths have the facility of web casting so as to keep a close eye on the election activities. He said 302 micro observers will be deployed at 252 sensitive polling stations.

The transportation of electronic voting machines will also be carried out in foolproof security arrangements and 703 GPS-enabled vehicles are engaged for this purpose, the DC said, adding public conveniences especially for ‘divyang’ and aged voters would also be ensured. Similarly, the facility of wheelchairs will also be ensured.

Commissioner of Police Kuldeep Singh Chahal and Senior Superintendent of Police (Rural) Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar informed the Election Commission that nearly 98 per cent licensed arms have already been deposited in the Lok Sabha Constituency and the law and order situation would be maintained at all costs.