80% candidates lost their security deposits in Ludhiana

As many as 139 out of the 175 candidates in the fray for the Punjab Assembly elections from Ludhiana district lost their security deposits as they failed to secure one-sixth of the total number of votes polled in their constituencies

The historic landslide victory of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab has cost around 80% of the candidates, who lost their security deposits, dearly.

One major reason for a large number of candidates losing their deposits is that the victors won by a huge margin in Ludhiana. (HT Photo)

As many as 139 out of the 175 candidates in the fray for the Punjab Assembly elections from Ludhiana district lost their security deposits ( ₹10,000) as they failed to secure one-sixth of the total number of votes polled in their constituencies. It is the first time in history that such a huge number of candidates have lost their deposits. These include bigwigs such as cabinet minister Gurkirat Kotli, son of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. Kotli has remained a two-time MLA, having won in the 2012 and 2017 assembly polls.

Similarly, the popular Bains brothers of Ludhiana – Simarjeet Singh Bains, who contested from Atam Nagar and Balwinder Singh Bains, who contested from Ludhiana South – also lost their deposits. Both have been two-time MLAs, having won the last two assembly polls.

Surprisingly, senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former minister Maheshinder Singh Grewal, also lost his security deposit, as he secured just 8.58% of the total votes polled. Besides, former SAD minister Hira Singh Gabria also lost his security deposit from Ludhiana South.

Three Congress candidates, six candidates of the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) and six candidates of SAD failed to secure their security deposits. All candidates fielded by the recently formed Sanyukt Samaj Morcha, including farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal, lost their security deposits.

One major reason for a large number of candidates losing their deposits is that the victors won by a huge margin. Jivan Singh Sanghowal, who won from Gill constituency won with a whopping 92,173 votes, the highest in any constituency of Ludhiana, and secured 50.33% of all votes polled, a margin of 57,644. In Samrala, Khanna, Payal, Raikot and Jagraon, Ludhiana east, Ludhiana South constituencies also the margins between the winners and runners up have been huge, exceeding 30,000 votes in each segment.