Chandigarh, November 23: The bypoll results came as a big setback for Punjab Congress chief and Ludhiana MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Randhawa as their spouses were defeated from Gidderbaha and Dera Baba Nanak seats, which were considered their strongholds.

Raja Warring claimed that "diversion" of votes of Shiromani Akali Dal, which stayed away from the bypolls, to the AAP in the two seats was one of the reasons behind their defeats. Punjab By-Election Results 2024: Ruling AAP Wins 3, Congress 1 of 4 Assembly Seats.

In a boost to Punjab's ruling party, the AAP wrested Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak and Chabbewal assembly segments, while the Congress won the Barnala seat. The bypolls, which took place on November 20, were necessitated after the incumbent legislators were elected to the Lok Sabha earlier this year.

Congress's Amrita Warring, the wife of Raja Warring, lost to AAP candidate Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon by a margin of 21,969 votes. Dhillon secured 71,644 votes while Amrita got 49,675 votes. BJP candidate and former finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal secured 12,227 votes. Gidderbaha Assembly By-Election Result 2024: AAP’s Hardeep Singh Dhillon Wins Punjab Bypoll, Defeats Congress’ Amrita Warring by 21,969 Votes.

The AAP managed to breach the Congress bastion in Gidderbaha, which was represented by Raja Warring in 2012, 2017, and 2022. The Gidderbaha seat was vacated by Raja Warring after he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Ludhiana seat in the 2024 parliamentary polls.

Dhillon, who was earlier with the Shiromani Akali Dal, was defeated by Raja Warring in 2017 and 2022 assembly polls. After his victory, Dhillon said his victory was a proof of people's love for him. On the other hand, Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Randhawa failed to defend his citadel as his wife Jatinder Kaur lost to AAP's Gurdeep Singh Randhawa.

AAP's Randhawa won the Dera Baba Nanak seat by a margin of 5,699 votes. In a close contest between the Congress and the AAP, Randhawa secured 59,104 votes, while Kaur polled 53,405 votes. BJP candidate Ravi Karan Singh Kahlon could manage 6,505 votes, securing the third spot.

Dera Baba Nanak was seen as Congress MP from Gurdaspur Sukhjinder Randhawa's family bastion for he represented the seat in 2002, 2012, 2017, and 2022. Speaking to reporters, AAP's Gurdeep Randhawa said with this victory, Sukhjinder Randhawa's "arrogance" was demolished.

Addressing the media, Raja Warring said the SAD votes went to the AAP candidate in Gidderbaha as Dhillon had joined the ruling party after quitting the Akali Dal. He further said his wife Amrita secured around 50,000 votes which the party's had got in 2022 assembly polls.

"We thought the BJP (Manpreet) would get 25,000 votes, but it only got around 12,000 votes. The AAP got around 71,000 votes and the reason for this was that the entire Akali Dal vote was diverted to AAP as its candidate had come from the SAD," Warring said. Warring said the Akali Dal votes were also "diverted" to the AAP candidate by Akali leader Sucha Singh Langah who had in the past contested against the Congress from this segment.

Warring alleged that the deferring the bypolls from November 13 to November 20 by the Election Commission went against the party as it allowed the ruling AAP to use "muscle power" to win the election. The SAD stayed away from the bypolls after Sukhbir Singh Badal, who has now resigned as the party president, failed to get a temporary relief from the Akal Takht, which declared him 'tankhaiya' (person guilty of religious misconduct), for the "mistakes" committed by his party and government from 2007 to 2017.

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