AAP blames Phoolka for defeat

Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, May 23

Leaders of AAP have blamed HS Phoolka’s resignation from the Dakha Assembly constituency for the poor performance of the party in the Lok Sabha elections.

The party candidate for the Ludhiana parliamentary seat, Dr Tejpal Singh Gill, has got only 15,945 votes and he stands fourth in the tally. In all nine Assembly constituencies under the Ludhiana parliamentary seat, AAP could not perform the way it had in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections when Phoolka stood second with 2,80,750 votes. 

In the Assembly elections of 2017, AAP had registered victories from the Dakha and Jagraon constituencies. However, the party got only 2,285 votes in Dakha and 2,808 votes in the Jagraon in the Lok Sabha poll 2019. 

Dr Gill, while talking to media persons at PAU, said: “The people had shown faith in AAP by electing HS Phoolka as MLA from the Dakha constituency. If we could not serve the people for five years, it was a mistake on the part of our party or our MLA, but I am facing the consequences now,” he said. 

Punjab AAP general secretary Ahbaab Singh Grewal said: “We are disappointed with AAP performance in Ludhiana. There could be various factors behind this defeat.

Phoolka’s resignation from the Dakha constituency had left a negative impact on the party. The turncoats, such as Sukhpal Singh Khaira, had tried to finish the party. But, the party has performed well as its state president Bhagwant Mann has come out victorious from the Sangrur parliamentary seat. We will strengthen the party again.”