Punjab: Electoral Tempo Picks Up For November 11 Tarn Taran Bypoll

Chandigarh: The political tempo has picked up for the November 11 Tarn Taran assembly by-election with all the political majors steadily stepping up their respective campaigning,

The bye-election is being seen as a precursor to the 2027 Punjab assembly elections which are now just about 14 months away.

A total of 15 candidates are in the fray for the bypoll which was necessitated by the death of ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Kashmir Singh Sohal in June; the voting will be held on November 11 and the counting of votes will be conducted on November 14.

While AAP has fielded Harmeet Singh Sandhu, Congress has fielded Karanbir Singh, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa, and BJP has picked Harjit Singh Sandhu as its candidate.

For record, in the House of 117 members, AAP has 93 MLAs, Congress, 16, SAD, 3, BJP, 2, BSP, 1, and an independent MLA. While one seat, Tarn Taran, is vacant.

The Tarn Taran bypoll is also being seen as a litmus test for the political parties as the ruling AAP is striving to retain the seat in backdrop of the government’s criticism in the wake of devastating floods, the faction-ridden Congress is exerting to put up a united face and SAD, is striving to regain seat which is considered to be a panthic constituency and BJP is attempting to gain a foothold. All the parties have thus intensified their respective campaigns holding road-shows, workers meetings and rallies.

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann has been intensively canvassing for AAP candidate Harmeet Singh Sandhu, a three-time MLA. Sandhu was defeated by Sohal in 2022 when the former fought on SAD ticket.

Congress which has fielded Karanbir Singh as he is considered as a consensus candidate of all the influential party leaders, though he is said to be close to leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa.

The SAD president Sukhbir Badal and other leaders have also been canvassing for party candidate Randhawa, with an aim to regain the party's base in Tarn Taran, which is also seen as a panthic constituency. The SAD was first to announce its candidate in July itself.

The BJP has also intensified its campaign for Harjit Singh Sandhu eyeing to increase its base in the state.

Pertinently, senior BJP leaders and ministers from Centre as well as other party top leaders also distributed relief material in the areas including Tarn Taran, ravaged by the recent floods.