Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat: Multi-cornered contest, internal party dissent and shifting loyalties make this poll one to watch
PTC Web Desk: The Lok Sabha elections in 2024 are set to showcase a fiercely contested battle in Jalandhar constituency, with all major opposition parties fielding their prominent candidates. This election is particularly significant as the constituency has historically witnessed a tight race, with the seat being won by various parties multiple times.
In the current scenario, the key contenders vying for the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat are Pawan Kumar Tinu from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Charanjit Singh Channi from the Congress, Sushil Kumar Rinku from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Mohinder Singh Kaypee from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).
The Jalandhar constituency has been hotly contested in the past, with the Congress party winning the seat 13 times and the Shiromani Akali Dal and Janata Dal securing victories twice each since independence. However, after the constituency's re-demarcation in 2008, the seat became a reserved one. In 2009, Congress candidate Mohinder Singh Kaypee won the election with a margin of 37,000 votes. In 2014, Congress retained the seat, but SAD's candidate managed to reduce the margin to 70,000 votes. However, in 2019, despite Congress winning again, SAD significantly improved its vote share, gaining an additional 50,000 votes compared to the previous elections.
BJP's candidate Sushil Kumar Rinku
The current scenario sees BJP's candidate Sushil Kumar Rinku facing challenges due to internal party issues and a perceived decrease in enthusiasm among voters. His shift from the Congress party to the BJP has led to some disillusionment among voters.
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Congress' Charanjit Singh Channi
Meanwhile, Congress' Charanjit Singh Channi, though holding the position of Chief Minister in the past, faces internal dissent within the party. The dissatisfaction stems from the party's decision to field him as the candidate, bypassing other local leaders. Additionally, the family of late Congress leader Santokh Singh Chaudhary, who represented the constituency, has expressed discontent over Channi's candidature. Congress MLA Vikram Chaudhary was recently suspended from the party, indicating internal rifts.
AAP's Pawan Kumar Tinu
Aam Aadmi Party's candidate Pawan Kumar Tinu, despite being an outsider, has a strong political background, having contested elections multiple times from various parties. Tinu has shifted from the BSP to the Akali Dal and then to the AAP, but has failed to make a significant impact in previous elections. His entry into the AAP and subsequent candidature in Jalandhar have sparked controversies and opposition from local factions.
SAD's Mohinder Singh Kaypee
On the other hand, Shiromani Akali Dal's candidate Mohinder Singh Kaypee has a robust support base among the Dalit community in the constituency. Having served as a minister in the Punjab Government and winning the Lok Sabha seat in 2009, Kaypee enjoys considerable political clout. However, his defeat in 2014 and subsequent switch between parties indicate challenges he may face in the upcoming elections.
With approximately 1,642,857 registered voters, comprising 854,446 males and 788,368 females, the Jalandhar constituency presents a significant electoral battleground. The multi-cornered contest, coupled with internal party dissent and shifting loyalties, makes this election one to watch. As the candidates intensify their campaigns and woo voters, the final outcome remains uncertain, promising an intriguing electoral battle in the heart of Punjab.
- PTC NEWS
