Doaba: Heartland that gave a PM, a President

Former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral had contested from Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat twice on a Janta Dal ticket in 1989 and in 1998 (in 1998 Alaki Dal also supported him) and won the election both times by defeating Congress nominees.

jalandhar, Inder Kumar Gujral, jalandhar lok sabha seat, doaba, Giani Zail Singh

Former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral.

The two Lok Sabha constituencies of Doaba region of Punjab, which vote on May 19, have given the country a Prime Minister, one President and also the founder of a prominent political party, the BSP.

Former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral had contested from Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat twice on a Janta Dal ticket in 1989 and in 1998 (in 1998 Alaki Dal also supported him) and won the election both times by defeating Congress nominees. He became Prime minister in April 1997. Jalandhar become a reserved seat after 2004 Lok Sabha elections following the delimitation.

Former President Giani Zail Singh had contested from Hoshiarpur seat in 1980 and he won by securing 48.7 per cent votes against Balbir Singh of the Bharatiya Lok Dal, who secured only 21.5 per cent votes. Singh had become President in 1982.

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BSP founder Kanshi Ram, who had also formed DS-4 group which was not a registered as party and was declared defunct in 1987, had also contested from Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat in 1996 and won this seat with a margin of 10,946 votes by defeating Congress’s Kamal Chaudhary.

Before Kanshi Ram, his protege and current BSP chief Mayawati had contested from Hoshiarpur in 1992. She was defeated by Kamal Chaudhary with a margin of 25,005 votes as she got 90,461 votes against 115,465 votes of Chaudhary.