Explained: 5 reasons why Simranjit Singh Mann defeated AAP in Sangrur, CM Bhagwant Mann’s bastion

Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann, a former IPS officer who had resigned in protest against Op Bluestar in 1984, had not won a single election since 1999 when he had wrested the Sangrur parliamentary seat.

Chief of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) Simranjit Singh Mann won by a margin of 5,822 votes. (Express Photos by Gurmeet Singh)

Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann, a former IPS officer who had resigned in protest against Op Bluestar in 1984, had not won a single election since 1999 when he had wrested the Sangrur parliamentary seat. Even in the recent Punjab Assembly polls, he had finished in the second spot at the Alamgarh Assembly seat. His party, which had hoped to make a dent in the state polls, did not win a single seat. On Sunday, Mann won the Sangrur bypoll by over 5,800 votes.

Here are five reasons why he won the parliamentary seat of Sangrur, considered a pocket borough of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who has won the last two elections from this seat with Simranjt Mann losing his deposit.

Unhappy voters

Many voters were reportedly unhappy at the inaccessibility of the local legislators. Only four months back, voters had given all the nine Assembly seats in this parliamentary constituency to AAP. Party workers were also reportedly disgruntled with the unresponsive local leadership. Dr G S Sekhon, a political observer, says the choice of seven Rajya Sabha candidates also did not go down well with the electorate as none of them represented Malwa, the belt which AAP had swept, winning 66 of the 69 seats.

The Moosewala factor

There was a lot of anger and grief at the killing of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala on May 29. He was shot dead days after his security cover was withdrawn by the AAP government. Moosewala’s fans openly blamed the government for his killing, pointing out how it had put him in harm’s way by sharing the list on the social media of those whose security had been revoked. Moosewala, who hailed from a village in the neighbouring Mansa, enjoyed a tremendous fan following in the region.

Although Moosewala had fought the Assembly elections on a Congress ticket, it was no secret that he had decided to support Simranjit Singh Mann in this election, a fact the latter flaunted in his poll campaign and ads.

The shadow of sacrilege and farmer agitation

Simranjit Mann, who was in political wilderness, gained relevance during the protests against sacrilege during the Akali-BJP rule in 2015 when he was successful in getting a sizeable number of people to attend a ‘Sarbat Khalsa’ meeting. He got a further push during the farm agitation when influencers like late Deep Sidhu aligned with him. The bid to paint the agitation as divisive on the social media gave credence to leaders like Mann, who had always been highlighting the so-called “excesses” of the Central government. This time around, he made it a contest between “the secular forces and those of the ultra-right, including Congress, AAP and BJP.’’

A weak AAP candidate

The party fielded Gurmel Singh, a little-known sarpanch of Gharachon village from the area. Although a close confidante of the CM who had handled his Dhuri office during the Assembly elections, Gurmel paled in comparison to Bhagwant Mann himself, and could do little to reverse the anti-government angst on the issue of Moosewala’s death. Though CM Bhagwant Mann did spend the last couple of days in Sangrur, it was too late by then to win over voters

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Five-cornered contest

It was arguably for the first time that Sangrur saw five parties wooing for its votes. The unsaid message was that AAP should be kept out. While Congress fielded Dalvir Goldy, who had contested against Bhagwant Mann from Dhuri in the Assembly elections, BJP fielded Kewal Dhillon, a well-heeled industrialist and former Congress legislator; and Akali Dal gave its ticket to Kamaldeep Kaur, sister of Balwant Singh Rajoana, a death row convict in the former CM Beant Singh assassination case. Interestingly, the BJP candidate who had been contesting assembly elections from Barnala (in Sangrur district) in the past, polled more votes than Akali Dal.

Manraj Grewal Sharma

Manraj Grewal Sharma is a senior journalist and the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Chandigarh, where she leads the newspaper’s coverage of north India’s most politically and institutionally significant regions. From Punjab and Haryana to Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, she oversees reporting at the intersection of governance, law, politics and society. She also reports on the diaspora, especially in Canada and the US. With a career spanning journalism across several countries, academia and international development, Manraj brings a rare depth of perspective to regional reporting. She is widely regarded as a leading chronicler of Punjab’s contemporary history and socio-political evolution, particularly its long shadow of militancy, federal tensions and identity politics. Her book, Dreams after Darkness, remains a definitive account of the militancy years and their enduring aftermath. Professional Background & Expertise A gold medalist in mass communication and a post-graduate in English literature, Manraj has a multifaceted career spanning journalism, academia, and international development. She was also awarded a fellowship by National Foundation of India and did several in-depth pieces on Manipur. Internationally, she has reported from Israel, US, UK, Myanmar, and Mauritius Her key focus areas include: Regional Politics, History, Agriculture, Diaspora, and Security. Of late, she has started focusing on Legal & Judicial Affairs: Much of her recent work involves reporting on high-stakes cases in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, ranging from environmental policy to civil rights. International Consulting: She previously served as a consulting editor for the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network and a publishing consultant for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila. Academia: For five years, she was the managing editor of Gender, Technology and Development, a peer-reviewed international journal at the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage focuses heavily on judicial interventions and regional governance: 1. Environment & Governance "‘NGT can’t test legality of policy’: HC hears challenge to Punjab’s ‘Green Habitat’ plan" (Dec 22, 2025): Covering a critical legal battle over whether the National Green Tribunal has the authority to strike down a state policy regularizing farmhouses on delisted forest land. "High court pulls up Punjab poll panel over audio clip probe" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on judicial concerns regarding the transparency and fairness of local body elections. 2. Legal Rights & Social Welfare "HC issues notice to Punjab, Haryana over delay in building old age homes" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on a contempt petition against top officials for failing to establish government-run homes for the elderly as promised in 2019. "Victims can appeal acquittals in sessions court without seeking special leave" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant procedural shift in criminal law following a Supreme Court ruling. "HC upholds benefits for Punjab FCI officer acquitted in 20-year-old bribery case" (Dec 19, 2025): A report on the concept of "honourable acquittal" and its impact on employee benefits. 3. Human Rights & Identity "As Punjab denies parole to MP Amritpal Singh, HC asks it to submit ‘foundational material’" (Dec 1, 2025): Covering the legal proceedings regarding the radical preacher and sitting MP's request to attend Parliament. "Protecting life paramount: HC backs Muslim woman in live-in after verbal divorce" (Nov 6, 2025): Analyzing judicial protections for personal liberty in the context of traditional practices. Signature Beats Manraj is recognized for her ability to decode complex judicial rulings and relate them to the everyday lives of citizens. Whether it is a 30-year-old land battle in Fazilka or the political implications of Kangana Ranaut’s candidacy in Mandi, her writing provides deep historical and regional context. Contact @grewal_sharma on X manrajgrewalsharma on Instagram ... Read More