Phagwara to see bypoll

Ashok Kaura

Phagwara, May 24

After the victory of BJP candidate Som Parkash from the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat, who is also the sitting MLA from Phagwara, the town will soon face bypoll to elect new MLA.

Som Parkash won with a margin of 5,146 votes from his rival Congress candidate Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal in the Phagwara Assembly constituency.

The BJP candidate got 44,436 votes, Congress candidate Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal got 39,290 votes, Bahujan Samaj Party candidate Khushi Ram got 29,738 votes while AAP candidate Dr Ravjot Singh got only 3,061 votes. It was observed that BSP votes damaged the Congress share.

Anita Som Parkash, wife of newly elected BJP MP Som Parkash, could be the likely BJP candidate in the coming mid-term poll for the Phagwara Assembly constituency, whereas the Congress would have to search for a new candidate.

Though former minister Joginder Singh Maan could claim Congress ticket, he has already lost twice due to which party can field another face.

Ch Mohan Lal, son of former BJP minister Swarana Ram, who remained SAD MLA from Banga and had joined the Congress recently, can be the likely Congress candidate as he can bank on the image of his father.