The thumping victory of Ravinder Singh Brahmpura in Khadoor Sahib by-election has not only brought much needed morale booster for the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal, but has also given it breathing space till next year’s Assembly polls.
Though the results have not sprung any surprise as in the absence of major political parties, the ruling party candidate was expected to win but the quantum of support generated by the ruling party candidates has brought the issue of panthic crises (sacrilege of holy scriptures) to an end.
While the low percentage of voting in the bypoll had pointed towards anguish in the people against the establishment, the convincing win by first timer Ravinder Singh Brahmpura defies the claims of opposition that there was any kind of religious distress among the Sikhs against the ruling party.
The political experts seem to be divided on the implications of the results of the bypoll but it is unanimously being accepted that the result has brought a big solace to the SAD, which was fighting with the apprehensions of loosing its cadre base in the wake of Panthic crises.
The seat of Khadoor Sahib owns a specific importance as the former MlA from the seat, Ramanjeet Sikki had resigned from the post on the issue of sacrilege. Sikki had defeated Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, father of Ravinder Singh Brahmpura getting around 67,000 votes in 2012 elections but in the bypoll the junior Brahmpura defeated his closest contestant with a difference of almost same number of votes getting 76 percent of total polled votes.
Although there is nothing for the Congress to be disappointed as it had formally boycotted the election, but the strategy of the party to keep the pot boiling on the issue of panthic crises has not paid well.
Though the increase of a seat in the Vidhan Sabha does not matter much for the ruling party but the results have brought much needed relief for the SAD for opening up on the administrative and political front.
The results of the elections have also proved that the three major players in the political arena in the State had calculated well before the election, and the calculations of Congress and Aam Aadmi Party to stay away from the bypoll saved them the embarrassment of defeat.