In a significant development ahead of the Jalandhar West assembly by-election, three-time MLA and former minister Chunni Lal Bhagat has openly backed his son Mohinder Bhagat, who is the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) nominee for the seat.
In a video message that has gone viral on social media, the veteran politician appealed to voters in the constituency to support his son in the bypoll. Chunni Lal, who has represented the area multiple times and held several prominent positions, cited his old age as the reason for not contesting himself this time.
He said, “I have served this constituency faithfully for many years and was fortunate to be elected by you on three occasions. However, due to my advancing age I am unable to actively campaign anymore. My son Mohinder understands the local issues and can effectively carry forward development work.”
The former minister added, “I request everyone to rally behind Mohinder’s candidature so that important projects and community services continue in the area seamlessly. Trust that with your cooperation, he will deliver even better results than I was able to.”
The appeal assumes significance as Chunni Lal was a long-standing BJP loyalist, having risen through the ranks of the party. His openly endorsing the AAP nominee is being seen as a potential blow to the saffron camp in the high-stakes bypoll. The Bhagat family holds considerable influence in the segment going back several election cycles.
BJP leaders reacted sharply to Chunni Lal’s statement, accusing him of coming under pressure due to his son joining another party. They further argued that no other outfit can match the respect and prestige bestowed upon the Bhagats by the BJP.
At the same, AAP has highlighted Chunni Lal’s endorsement as a stamp of approval for its local development agenda and candidate. The campaign for the crucial Jalandhar West contest thus gets an additional layer of intrigue with this latest development. Voting for the seat will take place on July 18.
