Punjab bypolls: For first time since 1997, BJP left with no MLA in Doaba; only two in state

JALANDHAR: With the Congress wresting Phagwara segment from the BJP in the bypoll, the saffron party does not have a single MLA to represent the Doaba region, first time since 1997.

The BJP is left with only two MLAs—Dinesh Singh from Sujanpur and Arun Narang from Abohar segment— in the state and one MP from the region, Som Parkash. Parkash, who won assembly elections from Phagwara, has been elected as Member of Parliament in the last general elections.

During the 2012 assembly

the BJP won 12 seats and out of which, five MLAs including, Som Parkash from Phagwara, Chunni Lal Bhagat from Jalandhar west, Manoranjan Kalia from Jalandhar central, KD Bhandari from Jalandhar north and Amarjit Singh from Dasuya assembly constituency, were from Doaba region.

After Shahi passed away in 2012, the BJP fielded Shahi’s wife, Sukhjit Kaur, who won the elections by defeating nearest rival Arun Dogra of the Congress.

HAD SEVEN MLAS IN 2007

Similarly, the saffron party won record 19 seats during the 2007 assembly polls, out of which seven were from Doaba—KD Bhandari won from Jalandhar north, Chunni Lal Bhagat from Jalandhar south, Manoranjan Kalia, Swarna Ram from Phagwara, Tikshan Sood from Hoshiarpur, Amarjit Singh Shahi from Dasuya and Arunesh Kumar Shakar from Mukerian.

In 2002 Vidhan Sabha polls, when Congress led by Captain Amarinder Singh formed government in the state, the BJP had won just

two seats from the region. BJP’s Avinash Rai Khanna emerged victorious from Garshankar (Hoshiarpur) and Tikelections, shan Sood from Hoshiarpur constituency.

In 2004, BJP fielded its sitting MLA from Garshankar, Avinash Rai Khanna, who won the general elections from Hoshiarpur constituency while Mohinder Pal Mann lost to Congress candidate Lov Kumar Goldi.

In 1997 assembly polls, when Shiromani Akali Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party contested elections together for the first time, the saffron party secured win on 18 seats.

Of 18 seats, five seats were from Doaba region. Manoranjan Kalia from Jalandhar central, Chunni Lal Bhagat from Jalandhar south, Swarna Ram from

Phagwara, Tikshan Sood from Hoshiarpur and Arunesh Kumar Shakar from Mukerian had won from the region.

Talking on the emerging scenario after the bypoll, BJP leader Tikshan Sood said that it will not affect the party as even in 2002, we had only one MLA from Doaba region when sitting MLA Avinash Rai Khanna was elected as MP from the region.

“However, we gained in 2007 elections and seven candidates won from the region. It happens in the politics,” he added.

State BJP president Shwait Malik could not be reached out for his comment despite repeated phone calls.