AAP to contest Dhuri constituency bypolls

After hoisting the victory flag in Delhi and on four seats in Punjab during the previous elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is all set to march into the State once again for testing its warring capabilities. Its decision to attempt conquest of the Dhuri seat during the impending bypolls announced for April 11 on Tuesday is expected to add third dimension to the election process with both the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine training their guns at each other.

The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for Dhuri bypoll for April 11, the notification for which would be issued on March 17. The counting of votes would take place on April 15. Wrested by the Congress party in 2012 after a gap of two decades, Dhuri Assembly segment fall vacant after the businessman-cum-politician Arvind Khanna announced his resignation from active politics in May this year.

A close confidant of former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, Khanna had been an MlA twice in 2002 (Sangrur) and 2012 (Dhuri) on Congress ticket.

His resignation has now given an opportunity to the SAD, which has as of now attained a simple majority with 58 legislators in 116-member assembly, to end its dependence on its coalition partner BJP with which it is already having strained relations.

The two-decade old allies had faced a tough time during recently-concluded civic body polls in Dhuri with the leaders from both parties announcing to contest elections against each other. At the same time, all energised AAP is all set to begin its Mission 2017 in the State riding high on the popularity of its Sangrur MP, under which Dhuri assembly segment falls, and star leader Bhagwant Mann. Mann bagged 51,536 votes in Dhuri during 2014 lok Sabha polls, getting a huge lead of 33,837 votes over SAD candidate Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa in his record margin victory.

During 2012 assembly polls, Congress candidate Khanna, who was polled 51,536 votes, had won the seat by 12,473 votes defeating SAD’s Gobind Singh longowal. SAD is expected to field longowal, a former MlA, or Dhindsa’s daughter-in-law for the Dhuri bypoll.

Congress, which is yet to consider any names, is already marred by string factionalism, with its senior leadership involved in a battle for party’s supremacy. 

The fate of sitting party chief Partap Singh Bajwa is also unknown as there are string rumours that he may be replaced soon with his bête noire Capt Amarinder’s man. Khanna’s resignation has brought down the number of Congress MlAs in the Vidhan Sabha to 43 after the party won 46 of 117 Assembly seats in 2012 elections. 

The party has so far lost two by-elections after its MlAs — Joginder Pal Jain and Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu — vacated the seat to join the SAD and eventually winning the seats. Meanwhile, issuing the election schedule, a spokesperson of Punjab Chief Electoral Officer said that the last date of making nomination has been declared on March 24, followed by the scrutiny of nominations on March 25, and last date for withdrawal of candidatures is March 27.

He said that the election process should be completed before April 18. Spokesperson said that the model code of conduct has come in force with immediate effect in the district in which or any part of the Assembly constituency going for bye-election is included.