Punjab: High-pitched campaign draws to a close as state readies for Nov 20 assembly bypolls

Bypolls to four assembly segments -- Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal (SC) and Barnala -- will be held on November 20 from 7 am to 6 pm

Campaigning for the November 20 assembly bypolls to four seats in Punjab ended on Monday evening with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Opposition Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party making last-ditch efforts to mobilise support for their respective candidates.

Hours before the campaign ended at 6 pm, major political outfits intensified their efforts to woo the voters. (HT File)

Hours before the campaign ended at 6 pm, major political outfits intensified their efforts to woo the voters.

Bypolls to four assembly segments -- Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal (SC) and Barnala -- will be held on November 20 from 7 am to 6 pm, and the results will be out on November 23.

The bypolls were necessitated after the MLAs representing the seats were elected to the Lok Sabha in the general elections held earlier this year.

Last-ditch efforts

In Gidderbaha, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon and Congress’ Amrita Warring held roadshows while veteran politician and the BJP candidate Manpreet Singh Badal held poll meetings in villages. Dhillon’s roadshow remained a glamourous affair with Punjabi film artiste and CM Bhagwant Mann’s friend Naresh Kathooria in attendance. Warring and her poll managers used a drone to record the show of strength at the event.

In Dera Baba Nanak, Congress and AAP took out roadshows. The Congress’ roadshow, led by its candidate Jatinder Kaur and her husband and Gurdaspur Member of Parliament Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, started from Kartarpur corridor highway, passed through different streets of Dera Baba Nanak town before stopping at Kalanaur town. AAP’s show was led by cabinet minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal in presence of Batala MLA Amansher Singh Sherry Kalsi. It was started from the villages on Batala-Dera Baba Nanak road. The Punjab Police faced a tough time when both roadshows came face to face near Kalanaur. AAP nominee Gurdeep Singh Randhawa did not attend the roadshow but held public meetings. BJP nominee Ravikaran Singh Kahlon also conducted public meetings in the villages.

In Chabbewal, AAP candidate Ishank Kumar took out a road march in villages. Congress nominee Ranjit Kumar and BJP nominee Sohan Singh Thandal went door-to-door, personally engaging with the voters. Voter interaction continued even after the deadline of 5 pm. Apart from AAP, Congress and BJP, a candidate of Samaj Bhalai Morcha and two independents are also in the fray.

Preparations in place: CEO

Punjab chief electoral officer Sibin C on Monday said that preparations for the byelections have been completed to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections.

Sharing details, Sibin stated that 6,481 Punjab Police personnel and officials along with 17 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed to ensure peaceful elections. Additionally, 3,868 polling staff have been assigned duties for the smooth management of the polling process. He appealed to all voters in the four constituencies to exercise their franchise without any fear and inducement. Sibin C further stated that all polling stations will be monitored through closed-circuit television cameras.

(With inputs from Bathinda, Dera Baba Nanak, and Chabbewal)