‘Outsider’ effect? AAP bags just 11 seats across Doaba

Jalandhar: Failing to bag a single seat in the Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Sultanpur Lodhi and Nawanshahr civic bodies, the Aam Aadmi Party lost big in the elections, the results of which were declared on Wednesday. The party could manage just five seats in Banga, four in Dasuya and two in Hoshiarpur. Across Doaba, it won mere 11 seats. In Nawanshahr and Rahon, too, it failed to open its account, while in Hoshiarpur district, the party won no seat across Garhdiwala, Garhshankar, Hariana, Mahilpur, Mukerian, Shamchaurasi, Tanda Urmar and Talwara. In Nawanshahr, the party was relegated to single digit votes only in many seats. Notably, the AAP has also been under criticism in Punjab for sending Delhi leaders or ‘outsiders’ to handle the election campaign. Raghav Chadha, Punjab co-in-charge had also been posed this question in Jalandhar during one of his press conferences addressed in the state ahead of the elections. Ahead of the 2017 Assembly elections, the party had faced similar questions regarding then state co-in-charge Durgesh Pathak. Across various wards in Rahon, the party polled votes as few as seven in Ward No. 2, 11 in Ward No. 1, 16 in Ward No. 3, 32 in Ward No. 6, 15 in Ward No. 10, nine in Ward No. 11 and six in Ward No 12. Despite fiercely backing farmers against farm laws, it saw very few votes being polled in its favour. In the Nawanshar Municipal Corporation, too, the party fielded few candidates and received 25, 24 and 27 votes, across Ward Numbers 16, 17 and 18, respectively. Banga, with five seats and a relatively decent amount of votes, was the only saving grace. In Jalandhar and Kapurthala, AAP registered no win. Party’s Garhshankar MLA Jaishankar Rori said: “The AAP has gained ground rather than losing in the elections. Many of our independently backed candidates have won seats in Garhshankar and we think the results bode well for the party. Also, the dynamics of the general and Assembly elections are quite different as compared to the MC elections. We had fielded all fresh faces and despite that, just on the name of the party many have won.” In Jalandhar, at one of the wards in Nurmahal, the party received just one vote and in Kartarpur, it received votes below 25 in several wards. Dr Shiv Dyal Mali, district president, AAP, said: “Honestly, we are a bit surprised as well. AAP has been a steadfast supporter of farmers throughout the farmers’ protests. However, the party hasn’t been supported. It is clearly a time to sit together and analyse mistakes. Damage assessment has to be done and corrective measures have to be made.” He said of the many factors impacting the party’s performance, the ‘outsider’ tag could be one of the factors responsible for this. TNS

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