Namesakes fail to pull Kangar down

The results of the Assembly elections for the Rampura Phul constituency showed that the namesake factor doesn't always work against the candidates. Apart from winning Congress candidate Gurpreet Singh Kangar, there were three other Gurpreet Singh in the fray from the constituency. All three "other" Gurpreets fought the elections as Independent candidates. While Kangar polled 55, 269 votes to win the seat, Gurpreet Singh Mehraj polled 350 votes while the other two namesakes polled 84 and 75 votes each. “Making namesake candidates contest elections is a cheap ploy aimed at pulling down a winning candidate. But the voters managed to see through the ploy and voted for the Congress,” said Kangar. — Nikhila Pant Dhawan

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Maiden innings

AAP's Jagdev Singh Kamalu from Maur and Rupinder Kaur Ruby from the Bathinda (Rural) constituencies were the only two candidates who were fighting their maiden elections and both registered a victory. While Kamalu defeated SAD heavyweight and Cabinet Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Ruby defeated SAD candidate Amit Ratan, who was also fighting his fourth elections.— Nikhila Pant Dhawan