Cong dents pro-Akali segments, fails to defend its own pockets

Perneet Singh
Tribune News Service
Bathinda, May 24

While Congress candidate Amrinder Singh Raja Warring made a huge dent in pro-Akali Assembly segments, the ruling party’s failure to defend its urban strongholds did him in at the Bathinda seat where he put up a good fight.

Warring delivered a big jolt to the SAD in Sardulgarh Assembly segment represented by Akali Dal MLA Dilraj Singh Bhunder, as he got a lead of 3,158 votes over Harsimrat. The segment gave Harsimrat her second biggest lead in 2014 elections at 20,568 votes, next only to Lambi. In 2009 polls too, she had got a lead of around 13,200 from Sardulgarh. In Lambi, the Assembly segment represented by SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal, the SAD lead came down from 34,219 votes in 2014 to less than half at 16,125 votes.

In 2009 too, Harsimrat had got a lead of 35,000 from the Lambi constituency. The fact that Warring represents Gidderbaha, which is adjoining Lambi, may have worked to his advantage. Besides, the Congress leaders in Lambi put in all their might to take on the Badals on their home turf. Warring got his highest lead from Talwandi Sabo Assembly segment which convincingly voted for Harsimrat in the last two elections. She had got a lead of 11,254 votes in 2014 and around 15,000 in 2009 from Talwandi Sabo.

He received his second major lead from the Maur segment at 5,653 votes. Maur had given Harsimrat a lead of 14,000 in 2009 and 1,800 in 2014. However, it was primarily the way the urban segments of Bathinda and Mansa voted that led to Warring’s defeat. The Congress had got a lead of 29,316 votes from Bathinda (Urban) segment in 2014, but this time it trailed by 3,743 votes, a trend which is being attributed by many to the anti-incumbency against the state government. Even in 2009, the segment had given the Congress a lead of 15,000 votes. Similarly, in Mansa, the Congress’ lead dipped from 23,911 votes in 2014 to mere 2,926 votes now.

Meanwhile, the AAP factor too hurt the poll prospects of the Congress. AAP candidate Baljinder Kaur bagged 1.34 lakh votes while AAP rebel and PEPchief Sukhpal Khaira polled 38,199 votes. Political observers say both of them may have divided the “anti-sacrilege” votes, thereby damaging the Congress.