New Delhi: Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) leader Simranjit Singh Mann won the Sangrur Lok Sabha bypoll on Sunday. This comes as a major setback to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab as Sangrur is the home turf of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
Asserting “this is a great win for our party”, Simranjit Singh Mann said: “We have defeated all national parties in this bypoll.”
“My priority will be to raise the issue of the poor economic condition of Sangrur including the condition of farmers under debt. We will work with the Punjab government,” he added, news agency ANI reported.
Simranjit Singh Mann, who defeated his AAP rival Gurmail Singh by a margin of over 5,800 votes, expressed his gratitude to the voters of Sangrur for having elected him as their representative in the Parliament.
“I will work hard to ameliorate the sufferings of our farmers, farm-labour, traders and everyone in my constituency,” he said.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal congratulated Simranjit Singh Mann on his electoral victory.
“We bow before the mandate of the people in a true democratic spirit,” he said.
Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also congratulated the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) leader.
“Humbly accept people’s verdict in Sangrur bypoll. My congratulations to Simranjit Singh Mann Ji for his victory. I am sure he would keep raising Punjab’s voice in his new role. The result reflects displeasure of public with Aam Aadmi Party insensitive and inept governance,” he tweeted.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the Sangrur bypoll results indicate that Punjab has rejected the Delhi model of the AAP government.
“#SangrurBypoll results a clear reflection of Punjabis’ sentiments. - Clear Rejection of Super CM or Delhi-based dictator. - BJP’s vote share has doubled while Congress & SAD share has reduced by 50% since 2017 I congratulate Simranjit Singh Mann Ji for his win over @AAPPunjab,” he tweeted.
The bypoll was necessitated due to the resignation of Bhagwant Mann from the Lok Sabha seat after he was elected as an MLA in the state assembly elections earlier this year. He had won the Sangrur seat in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections.