The stage is set for a high-stakes battle in Jalandhar as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) gear up for the by-polls. With the loksabha elections less than one year away, the results of the Jalandhar by-polls are expected to have a significant impact on the political landscape of Punjab. The stakes are high for all the parties to emerge as the winner, and a loss in this election, particularly for Aam Aadmi Party, could have far-reaching consequences, potentially impacting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Jalandhar has a total of 9 constituencies, out of which 5 are held by Congress, and the remaining 4 are with the Aam Aadmi Party. This gives both parties a strong foothold in the city, making the upcoming by-polls even more critical for them to maintain their hold and expand their influence in the region.
Traditionally considered a Congress stronghold, Jalandhar has been won by the party multiple times over the years. However, with the sudden demise of Chaudhary Santokh Singh, a Congress member who won the seat previously during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, the party has nominated his wife Karamjit Kaur to contest the election. On the other hand, AAP has fielded Sushil Rinku, a former Congress member and a prominent face of the Dalit community in Jalandhar. With more than 40% of the population belonging to the Dalit community, Rinku's nomination could work in the party's favor.
However, the internal dynamics of both parties are not entirely smooth. While there are some reservations within the Congress about Karamjit Kaur's nomination, and there are discussions about some congress members ditching their own party to support Sushil Rinku since he previously belonged to Congress, AAP is facing internal opposition to Rinku's candidature. Some members within the party are reportedly unhappy with Rinku's selection, although they are not expressing their concerns publicly.
Meanwhile, the BJP has nominated Inder Atwal, the son of former speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal, to contest in the election. The party has a strong vote bank in areas like Jalandhar North, Central, and West as its vote bank is mostly restricted to Hindu voters. It is worth noting that some other senior BJP cadre leaders are reportedly viewing Inder Atwal as a weak contender, and there are concerns that nominating him could potentially lead to the loss of even the areas within the BJP vote bank.
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The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which has allied with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), has fielded an outsider, Sukhwinder Singh, for the election. While Sukhi is viewed favorably by the voters, some party members are not entirely happy with the choice of candidate as he is not from Jalandhar and may not fully understand the issues facing the city.
In terms of issues, voters in Jalandhar are concerned about law and order, as well as ongoing cases like the Amritpal case. While AAP has made strides in providing basic services like electricity and jobs, the law and order situation in Punjab is a cause for concern. Congress, on the other hand, is relying on its strong leadership to win over voters.
It is evident that all the major parties in the Jalandhar by-poll election are grappling with internal politics. While the Aam Aadmi Party is facing dissent within its ranks against the nomination of Sushil Rinku, the Congress is standing united despite several issues plaguing the party. On the other hand, the BJP has provided a nomination ticket to Inder Atwal, but senior leaders of the party are not satisfied with this decision. The Shiromani Akali Dal has also been facing internal dissension over the choice of an outsider to fight the elections.
True Scoop had a talk with several people in Jalandhar regarding the upcoming elections, and it has become apparent that the people of Jalandhar are highly convinced by the Aam Aadmi Party's work for the welfare of the people. The absence of electricity bills, minimal corruption, job creation, and the implementation of Mohalla clinics have all contributed to this conviction. However, the ground reality also reveals some negative aspects of the party, such as the deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab and the Amritpal case.
During the conversations with the people of Jalandhar, it became evident that the work of Congress leader Chaudhary Santokh Singh had not impressed the masses. As a result, the by poll fight in Jalandhar seems to be primarily between the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress, but there is still uncertainty about who will emerge victorious in the election.