Counting of votes polled in the 11 October by-election to the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency began on Sunday. The counting was being conducted in centres in Gurdaspur and Pathankot towns. The fate of 11 candidates will be decided by Sunday afternoon. Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Swarn Salaria, Congress’ Sunil Kumar Jakhar, and Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Major General Suresh Kumar Khajuria (retd) are the main contenders. [caption id=“attachment_4144249” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. PTI[/caption] Nearly 56 percent of the 15.22 lakh registered voters exercised their franchise for the seat. The voter turnout was much lower than the over 70 percent polling in the 2014 general elections. The seat fell vacant in April following the passing away of veteran actor Vinod Khanna, a four-time MP from the seat. The fight is crucial for the BJP which is trying to retain the seat, the Congress which recently came to power in Punjab and the AAP which is trying to emerge as a strong contender. With inputs from IANS
Gurdaspur Lok Sabha by-election results highlights: Amarinder says Sunil Jakhar's win will revive Congress
Counting of votes polled in the 11 October by-election to the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency began on Sunday.
 "Gurdaspur Lok Sabha by-election results highlights: Amarinder says Sunil Jakhar's win will revive Congress")
Sunil Jakhar got nearly 5 Lakh votes
While Congress candidate Sunil Jakhar got 4,99,752 votes, his main rival, BJP’s Swarn Singh Salaria could garner 3,06,503 votes only. AAP ended up being a distant third, losing its deposit.
#Punjab Congress: 4,99,752, BJP 3,06,533, AAP 23,579 votes.#GurdaspurLokSabhaBypoll
— ANI (@ANI) October 15, 2017
Here is the final tally after counting is over
Congress wins Gurdaspur by a margin of 193219 votes. pic.twitter.com/mwseDZaonp
— Man Aman Singh Chhina (@manaman_chhina) October 15, 2017
A quick recap: Assembly constituencies under Gurdaspur LS seat
The Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat has nine Assembly segments: Bhoa, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Dinanagar, Qadian, Fathegarh Churian, Dera Baba Nanak, Sujanpur and Batala.
Punjab Congress: Jakhar’s win a result of six months of hardwork
Congratulation to Sh @sunilkjakhar Ji for a spectacular win in #Gurdaspur2017. This win marks 6 months of hard work under @capt_amarinder Ji pic.twitter.com/b0n0Zg6Fbx
— Punjab Congress (@INCPunjab) October 15, 2017
Congress supporter Gaurav Pandhi takes potshots at Modi
#Gurdaspur was a BJP strong hold for decades. In 2014, it was here PM threw jumla of MSP to farmers. Today, Congress won by 1.9 lakh votes.
— Gaurav Pandhi (@GauravPandhi) October 15, 2017
Jyotiraditya Scindia congratulates Jakhar
Heartiest congratulations to @sunilkjakhar ji for his decisive victory in the Gurdaspur bypoll! @capt_amarinder @INCPunjab
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) October 15, 2017
Winning candidate Sunil Jakhar reacts
“Even the BJP’s traditional vote bank did not vote for the party. Modi government’s economic policies are destroying the country,” Jakhar said after winning the bypoll.
Pratap Singh Bajwa of Punjab Congress reacts
“It is a great victory for Punjab government and Congress party. It is a curtain raiser for the bigger fight in 2019 Lok Sabha election. It is the mandate which is the testimony of the anger against the corrupt government of BJP-SAD in Punjab. It is also reflective of the anti-people policy of the Modi government like demonetisation,” Bajwa told CNN News18.
Sunil Jakhar wins Gurdaspur bypoll
According to various reports, Jakhar has won the Gurdaspur by-election by a margin of 1,93,219 votes. With this victory, the Congress party has wrested the seat from BJP.
“Congress president Sonia Gandhi has approved the name of Sunil Jakhar as party candidate for the forthcoming Lok Sabha by-election from Gurdaspur Parliamentary constituency in Punjab,” AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi had said in a statement.
Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Monday expressed confidence of winning the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha by-election by a big margin, saying his government has brought the state’s economy back on track.
During a road show in Pathankot for the Gurdaspur bypoll on 11 October, he said, “We will win this seat with a margin of over two lakh votes”.
The counting status after Round 13
The Congress party leads by 182160 votes. While Congress’ Sunil Jakhar has bagged 456250 votes, the BJP-SAD alliance has 274090 votes in its kitty. AAP has managed a paltry 21509 votes, reports The Times of India.
Sunil Jakhar: A high-profile candidate
Jakhar is the current president of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC). He was elected for three consecutive terms from Abohar constituency between 2002 and 2017. Jakhar was a Leader of Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha between 2012 and 2017.
AAP accepts defeat in bypolls
We humbly accept d verdict of Gurdaspur but remember d track record of PB by-elections 'Jis Di Lathi Uss Di Bhains' Cong lost all during SAD
— Sukhpal Singh Khaira (@SukhpalKhaira) October 15, 2017
Rajdeep Sardesai tweets
Breaking: Cong wins Gurdaspur by election by 1.5 lakh margin.Don't think it will affect Himachal though: BJP frontrunner here #WarForThrones
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) October 15, 2017
Happy faces in the Congress camp!
#Gurdaspurbypoll: #Congress leading by 1,69,640 votes @ifrahmufti @HTPunjab pic.twitter.com/cW7z70D3VB
— Nikhil Sharma (@nikhilsharmaht) October 15, 2017
Majha region has always been Congress’ stronghold
Poor show by AAP, but Majha is its weakest zone & the strongest zone for Congress. BJP's loss of a seat is a good result all in all. https://t.co/atsjsqVmAf
— Krishan Partap Singh (@RaisinaSeries) October 15, 2017
Gurdaspur voted on 11 October
Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bypoll recorded a 56 percent voter turnout on 11 October. While the battle was always expected to be high profile, the total turnout was lower than the 70.03 percent recorded in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.
Amarinder Singh congratulates Sunil Jakhar
Congratulations to @sunilkjakhar ji for his impressive win in #Gurdaspur bypoll, it's a victory for @INCPunjab policies & development agenda
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) October 15, 2017
Assure people of #Gurdaspur that every single promise made by @sunilkjakhar will be fulfilled and all development works will be fast-tracked
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) October 15, 2017
Sunil Jakhar leading by 1.7 lakh votes
According to Hindustan Times, the Congress is heading towards a big victory in Gurdaspur bypoll. In the 12th round of counting, oarty candidate Sunil Jakhar lead by 1.7 lakh votes.
AAP loses deposit in Gurdaspur
While Congress looks set for a major win, AAP candidate Major General (Retd) Suresh Khajuria loses his deposit after crashing out of the race.
Dera Baba Nanak Assembly segment helping Congress get big lead
According to The Indian Express, former cabinet minister Sucha Singh Langah had contested unsuccessfully from this constituency in 2012 and 2017 Assembly elections. According to the report, Langah was booked in a rape case on 28 September, just at the beginning of the Gurdaspur election campaign. The attention of whole campaign got shifted to his alleged crime. This may have helped the Congress campaign.
After BJP defeat, Sukhbir Badal role is now under scanner
“Despite huge investment in terms of time and money, he now finds himself trailing, bringing into question the role played by former deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal, who managed the poll campaign for the BJP-Akali Dal combine,” CNN News18 reported.
Congress in celebration mode in Punjab
Punjab: Congress workers and leaders celebrate as party leads by more than 1 lakh votes in #GurdaspurLokSabhaBypoll pic.twitter.com/gYlPec5EKG
— ANI (@ANI) October 15, 2017
Diwali gift for Rahul Gandhi, says Sidhu
This is a beautiful Diwali gift, packed with a red ribbon, for our would be party president Rahul Gandhi: Navjot Sidhu #GurdaspurByPoll pic.twitter.com/A5SRHoT6VB
— ANI (@ANI) October 15, 2017
Vinod Khanna’s death necessitated the bypoll
The Punjab seat was being held by the late Bollywood actor Vinod Khanna, who had won the seat our times for the BJP. He was first elected from the seat in 1998 and was reelected in 1999 and 2004. He lost the seat to Congress’s Pratap Singh Bajwa in 2009 before winning it back in 2014.
Gurdaspur mandate is against Modi’s policy
Ppl of Gurdaspur have sent a strong message of their resentment to policies pursued by Modi Ji led Centre: Sunil Jakhar #GurdaspurByPoll pic.twitter.com/6JMxqdHK0k
— ANI (@ANI) October 15, 2017
AAP accuses Congress of foul play
Meanwhile, AAP candidate Major General (Retd) Suresh Khajuria accused the Congress of using “undemocratic means” in the bypoll. “Ruling party used undemocratic means in these elections. People were scared and the youth was almost absent in the bypoll. If they (Congress) win then that victory will not be a respectable one,” Khajuria alleged.
PTI
Counting as of 11 am
Congress candidate Sunil Jakhar is now leads by 1,08,230 votes. The BJP candidate is second while the AAP candidate is a distant third.
Congress’ Sunil Jakhar leaves BJP’s Swaran Salaria far behind as counting nears end
The first reports of the counting results from Gurdaspur showed that Congress candidate Sunil Jakhar was leading by 68,172 votes over his nearest rival BJP contestant Swaran Salaria.
PTI
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