People have reaffirmed faith in Congress' policies: Surjewala

Chandigarh: After a huge win in the Gurdaspur bypoll, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala today said people have reaffirmed their faith in policies and programmes of the party and expressed disappointment with the "all talk-no action" approach of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"People have reaffirmed their faith in the policies and programmes of the Congress and the state government. The Congress had shown commitment to fight hegemony and goondaism of the SAD-BJP. The people have therefore voted decisively," Surjewala, the AICC communications in-charge, said.

Congress candidate Sunil Jakhar on Sunday won the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bypoll by defeating his nearest rival, BJP nominee Swaran Salaria, with a margin of 1,93,219 votes.

"The victory margin reflects the huge disappointment among the people towards the Modi government at the Centre.

UPA has won all four LS byelections in 2017 –Amritsar, Srinagar, Malappuram and now Gurdaspur," Surjewala, who is also MLA from Kaithal in Haryana, said.

"This proves the disenchantment of masses with the 'jumlas' of the Prime Minister and the all talk-no action approach of the PM. People of this country are ready for a change and these byelections are magnifying the rejection of the Modi brand of politics," he claimed.

Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Pratap Singh Bajwa dubbed the Gurdaspur victory as key to "Congress revival" in whole of India ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He said the victory will be a great morale booster for the Congress.

"It is also reaffirming of people's faith in Congress government in Punjab," said Bajwa, who had defeated BJP's Vinod Khanna in Gurdaspur in 2009 Lok Sabha polls.

Bajwa said the BJP's defeat in Gurdaspur polls was also rejection of the demonetisation and GST as brought by the BJP.

"From Gurdaspur, you can also visualise the sentiment of traders, shopkeepers and farmers. It is also rejection of demonetisation and GST which they have brought. Even their traditional voter is unhappy with them. Out of nine assembly segments in Gurdaspur, we have won all nine," he said.

Bajwa claimed that losing Gurdaspur by a huge margin would also be "great setback for the BJP in coming Himachal elections".

Aam Aadmi Party nominee Major General (Retd) Suresh Khajuria was at the third spot with 23,579 votes.

The Gurdaspur LS seat had fallen vacant after the death of BJP MP Vinod Khanna in April.

Chandigarh: The BJP-SAD alliance in Punjab on Sunday alleged that the ruling Congress party won the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha byelection by misusing the government machinery.

The Aam Aadmi Party, which finished a distant third, too, made similar allegations against the Congress party. AAP nominee Maj. Gen. (retd) Suresh Khajuria accused the Congress party of using "undemocratic means" to win the byelection.

None of the parties offered any evidence to support their allegations.

Punjab BJP secretary Vineet Joshi and Salaria alleged the Congress misused the official machinery to win the bypoll.

"They won by misusing the machinery. Everyone knows that even the sarpanches owing allegiance to the BJP and the SAD were warned that they will be dealt with strictly if the two allies got a lead in their respective areas in the bypoll.

Civic body officials, too, were warned," Joshi alleged.

Joshi and Salaria, however, said they will now request Jakhar to ensure the development of Gurdaspur constituency.

Senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Prem Singh Chandumajra said: "It is not a victory of democracy, but it is victory of government machinery being misused."

Chandumajra said, "the fact that the poll percentage in a LS bypoll was as low as 56 per cent raises eyebrows. In a general election, this percentage remains over 75 per cent.

The poll percentage for bypoll should have been over 80 per cent, but it was just 56 per cent. This means a lot of people were under some kind of threat that they chose to stay away". AAP's state unit president Bhagwant Mann said his party accepts the mandate and will introspect the reasons for the defeat.

Contrary to Congress party's claims, Mann said the bypoll outcome would not set the tone for 2019 general election.