The upcoming by-election for the Jalandhar West assembly constituency is shaping up to be a closely fought contest with high stakes for various political parties in Punjab. The bypoll, scheduled for July 13th, has been necessitated after former AAP MLA Sheetal Angural resigned from the seat in March.
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party has fielded Mohinder Singh Bhagat as their candidate, hoping to retain the seat. Bhagat previously unsuccessfully contested the seat on a BJP ticket in 2017 and 2022. The main opposition Congress has nominated Surinder Kaur, a well-known local leader. Meanwhile, former AAP MLA Sheetal Angural is seeking re-election from the seat, but on a BJP ticket this time after switching parties.
A total of 15 candidates are in the fray but it is expected to be a three-way battle between AAP, Congress, and BJP candidates. The Jalandhar West seat is reserved for the SC community, from which both Angural and Kaur hail. Bhagat belongs to the influential Bhagat community.
CM Bhagwant Mann has personally campaigned vigorously for the AAP candidate, addressing public meetings and roadshows. A victory here is crucial for Mann to prove that his government still enjoys public support following AAP’s poor performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections. On the other hand, the Congress hopes its candidate can register an important win after succeeding in 7 of 13 Punjab seats to the Lok Sabha.
The BJP is also eyeing a victory to emerge from the drubbing it received in the state during the national polls. Around 1.72 lakh voters will decide the fate of 15 candidates on July 13th. The outcome of this multi-cornered contest will offer vital clues about the current popularity of the AAP government led by CM Bhagwant Mann in its key stronghold region of Doaba.
