Jalandhar witnessed the lowest polling election in the history of Punjab. The total vote turnout in jalandhar was 54%, which has been the lowest in the history of punjab.The by poll elections in Jalandhar includes nine assembly seats, including Nakodar, Phillaur, Kartarpur, Adampur, Shahkot, Jalandhar North, Jalandhar Cantt, Jalandhar Central, and Jalandhar West. Even after a four cornered party election the lowest turnout has raised concerns, confusion and suspense in the minds of people of who will win the elections?
Despite extensive campaigning by all major political parties, including the Bhartiya Janata Party, Shiromani Akali Dal, Aam Aadmi Party, and Congress, the Jalandhar by-poll election only saw a 54% voter turnout. While the highest voter turnout of 57.4% was recorded in Shahkot, this is still relatively low for a constituency like shahkot because normally the voter turn out in this place is upto 80%. Notably, the two places with the highest turnout were represented by a Congress member and an Aam Aadmi Party MLA.
In contrast, the lowest voter turnout was in Jalandhar Cantt, represented by a Congress MLA, and Jalandhar Central, represented by an Aam Aadmi Party MLA.
The Jalandhar West constituency, where Sushil Singh Rinku is contesting, recorded a voter turnout of 56.4%. This constituency has a stronghold of Sushil Singh Rinku.It is worth noting that the Aam Aadmi Party received the lowest Lok Sabha votes in history. As such, it remains to be seen which party will ultimately emerge victorious in the election.
The Kartarpur constituency, which recorded a 54.7% voter turnout, has a strong hold of the AAP. Similarly, Nakodar, with a voter turnout of 55.4%, also has a strong hold of the AAP due to the influence of the local MLA. In the Phillaur constituency, which recorded a 55.8% voter turnout, the Congress party has a strong hold. Likewise, Shahkot, which recorded a high voter turnout of 57.4%, is also a Congress stronghold.
The Congress, which has won this seat five times out of eight contests, is relying on its state leadership for the campaign, while the ruling AAP aims to make a dent in state politics by winning this seat from Jalandhar, considering the Doab region is traditionally a Dalit stronghold. To secure a minimum mandate, the party has distributed work, assigning all its legislators, including ministers, specific tasks in specific wards. They aim to ensure the success of their new entrant, Sushil Kumar Rinku, a former Congress MLA.
Interestingly, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which recently broke away from its traditional alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), is also in the race to win this prestigious election. The SAD has allied with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to make a comeback in the state after suffering humiliating defeats in the last Assembly and Sangrur Lok Sabha by-polls.
The Jalandhar by-poll election is being seen as a litmus test for political parties in Punjab, as Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to take place next year. Based on the voter turnout of the Jalandhar by-poll elections, it appears that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is facing a tough challenge in the state of Punjab. With fewer people voting in urban areas and more in rural areas, it seems clear that the Congress might be on its way to win because the party holds a strong base in rural areas, and AAP doesn’t seem to have been able to influence and convince people to vote for them.
Jalandhar bypolls: Over 50% voter turnout, see the latest vote share
Surprisingly, the BJP was able to win more votes than some other political parties, indicating that they may have created a base in Jalandhar. However, statistics suggest that there is a divided water amongst voters, creating a tense situation in Punjab.
One of the notable trends observed in these bypolls is that rural areas are gaining more votes than the city areas. Constituencies like Shahkot and Phillaur, which are considered Congress strongholds, have received high votes, and more people have voted in those areas. On the other hand, city areas like Jalandhar Central and Jalandhar Cantt have received comparatively low votes. This trend could pose a challenge for AAP and other parties as rural areas are considered a stronghold of the Congress party.
According to sources, AAP candidate Sushil Singh Rinku has faced more problems from his own party members rather than other party members. Inside sources reveal that a few senior leaders within the AAP did not want to see Sushil at a pedestal contesting for election, and eventually, the game turned against Sushil from within his own party.
The by-election in Jalandhar was called after the death of MP Santokh Singh Chowdhary in January of this year, during Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra. The votes will be counted on May 13th, and there are 1,972 polling stations in this Lok Sabha seat, comprising assembly constituencies, with a total of 16,21,759 registered voters in the district. There are also 73 NRI and 41 transgender voters in the constituency.
In conclusion, the Jalandhar by-poll election had a low turnout despite extensive campaigning, and the varied turnout across constituencies suggests an uncertain outcome. With tensions running high, the closely watched election result is eagerly awaited as it could potentially shape the state's political landscape.