Anandpur Sahib result an embarrassment for Speaker

Tribune News Service
Ropar, May 24

Even as Congress candidate from Anandpur Sahib LS constituency Manish Tewari registered a win with a comfortable margin of 46,884 votes, the result came as an embarrassment for local party MLA and Punjab Speaker Rana KP Singh.

Tewari won from six of the nine Assembly segments and remained at the second spot in Balachaur, Banga and Anandpur Sahib Assembly segments with the maximum trailing margin reported from Anandpur Sahib.

Tewari, however, won the election getting 4,28,045 votes, while Chandumajra got 3,81,161 votes. In all, 17,135 voters opted for NOTA.

Tewari secured lead in Mohali, Kharar, Chamkaur Sahib, Ropar, Garhshankar and Nawanshahr Assembly segments, while Chandumajra was ahead in Anandpur Sahib and Balachaur only. BSPcandidate Vikram Singh Sodhi topped in Banga with 36,057 votes, while Tewari stood second with 35,176 votes. Chandumajra got 28,687 votes. At Balachaur, Chandumajra got 37,946 votes, while Tewari polled 35,609 votes.

Tewari earned the maximum lead of 21,149 votes in Chamkaur Sahib, which is represented by cabinet minister Charanjit Singh Channi.

The other constituency that put Tewari in a comfortable position was Mohali from where he got 63,380 votes against 50,728 in favour of Chandumajra giving the former a lead of 12,668 votes.

Kharar segment further strengthened prospects of Tewari. From here, he got a lead of 7,205 votes. Tewari and Chandumajra got 63,300 and 56,095 votes, respectively.

‘Depleting support’

• Congress MLA and Punjab Speaker Rana KP Singh won by 23,881 votes two years ago and this year the Congress candidate was seen trailing by over 10,000 votes during the counting
• Some people are taking it as a clear indication of party’s depleting support base in the Assembly segment