The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has selected Mohinder Bhagat as their candidate for the upcoming bye-election in the Jalandhar West assembly constituency of Punjab. The seat fell vacant after the previous AAP MLA, Sheetal Angural, resigned from her position.
Angural had won the seat in the 2022 state elections by defeating then-Congress candidate Sushil Rinku. As per rules, a bye-poll now needs to be held following Angural's resignation from the legislature.
Bhagat, an experienced sports goods manufacturer and former BJP leader, joined AAP back in April 2023. He has previously contested unsuccessfully from Jalandhar West in 2017 as well. With his political experience and local connections as the son of a former minister, AAP hopes Bhagat can appeal to voters, especially from the significant Bhagat community which numbers around 30,000 in the constituency.
The party also plans to leverage Bhagat's community ties by celebrating Kabir Jayanti, an important festival for the Bhagats, in a major event on July 22. This could help consolidate Bhagat votes for AAP.
Meanwhile, the BJP has named Sheetal Angural as their candidate from the seat. Angural had won the seat in the 2022 elections on a AAP ticket before resigning.
The bye-election is scheduled for July 10, with the counting of votes set for July 13. It will be an important early test for both AAP and BJP in Punjab as they aim to increase their vote shares ahead of the 2024 national elections.
