Barely 100 days after Punjab sweep, AAP faces a humiliating defeat in Sangrur Lok Sabha by-poll

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), that swept the assembly polls in Punjab a few months ago, failed to retain its bastion- Sangrur- as the party faced a humiliating electoral defeat in the Lok Sabha by-election.

The humiliating defeat in the first major election for the AAP after forming government in Punjab, has also exposed the tall claims of party national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Punjab CM Bhagwant Man.

The AAP suffered a major setback when it lost the Lok Sabha Sangrur seat to Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) leader Simranjit Singh Mann at the home turf of Chief Minister and AAP leader Bhagwant Singh Mann. A former IPS officer Mann won the by-poll defeating Gurmail Singh, AAP candidate, on Sangrur Lok Sabha seat.

The SAD (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann defeated AAP candidate Gurmail Singh by 5,822 votes while the SAD, BJP and Congress candidates lost their security deposits in the Sangrur by-election.

As per the results declared on Sunday evening, Simranjit Singh Mann polled 2,53,154 votes while Gurmail Singh secured 2,47,332 votes. Congress candidate Dalvir Singh Goldy, BJP’s Kewal Dhillon and the SAD’s Kamaldeep Kaur Rajoana were at the third, fourth and fifth spots, respectively. Goldy polled 79,668 votes, Dhillon 66,298 and Kamaldeep 44,428.

Despite intense campaigning by all senior leaders of AAP, including CM Mann, national convener Arvind Kejriwal, ministers and MLAs, the party failed to win the high-stakes battle. The distrust over fulfilling major poll promises appears to have cost the AAP dear.

According to political analysts, its failure to maintain law and order in Punjab, remained the major cause of AAP defeat. The recent communal clashes, gang wars and killing of Congress leader and Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala were other main reasons for AAP's defeat.

Moreover, the AAP faced public wrath for controlling the State unit and Punjab government from Delhi and CM Bhagwant Mann dancing to the tunes of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, they opined.