Jalandhar: All you should know about your constituency

Jalandhar parliamentary constituency came into existence in 1952 when the first general elections were held in the country. The seat has been won by SAD single-handedly only in 1996 when its candidate Darbar Singh defeated the Congress candidate. the constituecy was reserved for the schedule caste in 2009. In 1989 and 1998 it was represented by Janata Dal candidate IK Gujral. Top candidates from Jalandhar | Candidates vision for Jalandhar | Past winners from Jalandhar constituency | POLL FACTS ABOUT THE CONSTITUENCY | Blame Game | Controversies in Jalandhar constituency | QUOTABLE QUOTES

The Congress’ Chaudhary family, which has had a stronghold in the area for the past few decades, faces a tough test in Doaba in these Lok Sabha elections. 24 candidates from Jalandhar are in the fray for Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat.

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Former minister Santokh Chaudhary faces SAD firebrand leader and Adampur MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu.

Read:Top candidates from JalandharAs compared to the Chaudhary family, in which Santokh’s elder brother Jagjit Chaudhary was a former local bodies minister and

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their father Chaudhary Banta Singh was a Congress leader, Tinu’s political clout is less.

Read:Past winners from Jalandhar constituency

The seat that got reserved for scheduled castes in 2009 has remained tough for the SAD with the party managing to claim it only in 1996.

For the Chaudhary family, the worrying factor is their eroding base as both brothers -- Jagjit and Santokh -- lost the last two assembly elections from Kartarpur and Phillour, respectively.Read:



"People from the region know my family for long. They know our track record of undertaking development. While holding different portfolios in the government, the members of my family have focused on Jalandhar. Tinu, chief parliamentary secretary for sports for the past two years, has nothing to write home about," feels Santokh.

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Chaudhary replaces sitting MP Mohinder Singh Kaypee, who has been shifted to Hoshiarpur constituency.Read:



The Chaudhary family tried its best to get the ticket for Santokh’s son and state youth Congress chief Vikram Chaudhary, but the party asked Santokh, seen as an honest and non-controversial face of the party, to enter the fray.

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On the other hand, Tinu is using the political clout of Chaudharis against them. “Since we got Independence, the entire focus of the Congress in Doaba remained on the Chaudharis. But the family has always used the support of the scheduled castes for personal use. What did they do for the welfare of the public? I don’t need to remind people that Jagjit Chaudhary was once termed corrupt by Congressmen themselves,” says Tinu, who is banking on the Modi wave to garner support.

Read:Controversies in Jalandhar constituency

The anti-incumbency against the ruling SAD-BJP government in Jalandhar City, where there is the issue of bad roads and misgovernance by the BJPruled civic body, is set to dent the Akalis’ vote share.

Jalandhar in news this poll season

Though the main fight is between the SAD- BJP and the Congress, the BSP’s vote bank in the constituency is expected to play a crucial role. The BSP is expected to perform better this year after fielding its prominent leader Sukhwinder Singh Kotli.

Read:QUOTABLE QUOTES

Kotli is the best bet for the BSP in this scheduled-castedominated area, who is expected to spoil the chances of the two main parties.

The AAP has fielded Jyoti Maan, a low-profile candidate and a novice in politics, who is seen as no threat to both the parties.