3 months on, Sangrur defeat doesn't augur well for AAP

Chandigarh, June 26

The defeat that ruling Aam Aadmi Party candidate Gurmail Singh suffered at the hands of SAD (Amritsar) leader Simranjit Singh Mann today is no surprise as Sangrur voters have been known to go against the grain. This time, their mandate has led to the AAP losing its only seat in Lok Sabha.

The defeat does not augur well for the party, as it is rather unheard of for a party in power to have suffered an electoral defeat within three months of assuming the reins of state, which is generally considered the “honeymoon period”.

This, especially as all nine Assembly seats that fall in the Sangrur parliamentary seats are represented by AAP MLAs and three sitting ministers, including CM, are from Sangrur. In the elections held in February, the party had cornered an average of 40 per cent votes in all nine Assembly seats of Sangrur. This time, the total poll percentage was 45 per cent and the party candidate was trailing in the constituencies of two ministers.

The entire top brass of the party, including CM Bhagwant Mann, had campaigned vigorously for the party nominee. Party MLAs and other leaders have already started murmuring about lack of independence given to the state unit of the party by the high command, as one of the reasons for the defeat.

However, party spokesperson Malvinder Kang brushed aside charges of the party high command calling the shots in government affairs. “Ours is a national party and we look up to our leaders for guidance and advice,” he said.

Party poll share down to 34%

• All nine Assembly seats in the Sangrur parliamentary seats are represented by AAP MLAs and three sitting ministers, including CM, are from Sangrur
• In February polls, party got 40% votes in all nine Assembly seats. This time, it polled 34.79% and its nominee trailed in constituencies of two ministers