Punjab bypolls: Congress Clinches Jalalabad, Mukerian and Phagwara, SAD Victorious in Dakha

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh hailed the Congress victories, particularly in Sukhbir Badal's self-proclaimed stronghold of Jalalabad

PATIALA, INDIA - JANUARY 10: PPCC Chief and former CM of Punjab Capt. Amarinder Singh showing victory sign after filing the nomination form as a Congress candidate from Patiala seat on January 10, 2012 in Patiala, India. The state assembly election in Punjab is scheduled on January 30 this year. (Photo by Bharat Bhushan/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

New Delhi: In the bypolls held in Punjab on October 21, the ruling Congress on Thursday won three seats -- Jalalabad, Mukerian and Phagwara -- while the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) emerged victorious in Dakha. In Dakha, Congress candidate Sandeep Sandhu, a confidant of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, lost to Akali Dal's Manpreet Singh Ayali by 14,672 votes. In Jalalabad, which is considered an Akali bastion, Congress candidate Raminder Awla defeated SAD nominee Raj Singh Dibipura by a margin of 16,663 votes. Congress' Indu Bala won from Mukerian by defeating BJP nominee Jangi Lal Mahajan by a margin of 3,440 votes. In Phagwara, Congress nominee Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal won over BJP nominee Rajesh Bagha by a comfortable margin of 26,116 votes. The Jalalabad seat was vacated by SAD President Sukhbir Badal, while the Dakha seat was vacated by the Aam Aadmi Party's H.S. Phoolka. BJP's Som Parkash vacated the Phagwara seat, while Mukerian went to the polls following the demise of sitting Congress MLA Rajnish Babbi. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh hailed the Congress victories, particularly in Sukhbir Badal's self-proclaimed stronghold of Jalalabad, saying it was a total rejection of the negative agenda of the Akalis, who continued to indulge in petty politicking in the wild hope of regaining the confidence of the people.