"People have reposed faith in Kejriwal-Mann 'jodi'": Punjab Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Jalandhar bypoll results

Jalandhar (Punjab) [India], May 13 : Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday said that the Aam Aadmi Party's Lok Sabha bypoll victory from the Jalandhar constituency is historic and has shown that people have put faith in the 'Jodi' of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

While talking to , Harpal Singh Cheema said," It is a historic victory. I thank the public for this victory. People have put faith in the 'Jodi' of CM Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal. This 'Jodi' has been successful in removing corruption from their respective governments. In Punjab, we are fulfilling our election promises and are working in utmost honesty."

The Aam Aadmi Party candidate on Saturday won the bypoll from the Jalandhar Lok Sabha constituency which was considered a Congress stronghold for the past 24 years.

AAP candidate Sushil Kumar Rinku, a former Congress MLA defeated his closest rival, Congress's Karamjit Kaur by a margin of over 58,000 votes, as per the Election Commission of India.

Rinku has polled 3,02,279 votes, while Chaudhary has secured 2,43,588 votes. BJP nominee Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal was at the third spot, while Shirom Akali Dal candidate Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi, who is also backed by the Mayawati-led BSP, was at the fourth spot.

The bypoll, voting for which was held on May 10, was necessitated following the death of Karamjit Kaur's husband and Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary on January 14 this year following a cardiac arrest while taking part in the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Nineteen candidates contested the bypoll, which recorded a voter turnout of 54.70 per cent. The turnout was well below the 63.04 per cent recorded in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

After conceding defeat Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring congratulated the Aam Aadmi Party and its candidate Sushil Rinku.

"We humbly accept people's mandate! I thank party workers, volunteers, supporters and the entire INC Punjab leadership, for the hard work and efforts put in by them for the Jalandhar By-Election. I congratulate Sushil Rinku and the AAP party for the victory," Warring tweeted.

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