AAP accepts defeat in Gurdaspur but history shows ruling parties win bypolls: Khaira
Chandigarh, October 15, 2017: Leader of Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Sunday unhesitatingly accepted defeat of AAP candidate in Gurdaspur parliamentary bypoll.
Reacting to the humiliating defeat of his party candidate, Khaira, however, observed that the track record of bypolls in Punjab clearly indicates that it is the ruling party which always wins these elections. He supported his contention by referring to the verdict of 11 bypolls held during the last 10 years of SAD-BJP rule namely Dhuri, Talwandi Sabo, Khadur Sahib, Moga, Patiala, Dear Bassi, Amritsar South, Kahnuwan, Dasuya, Nurmahal and Nawanshahar.
Congress party under the leadership of CaptainAmarinder Singh badly lost 10 of these polls and was able to win only one seat of Patiala his hometown.
Similarly from 2002 to 2007, the three bypolls were held under the then Captain Amarinder Singh government namely Malout, Kapurthala and Garhshankar. The SAD-BJP candidates lost all thesethree elections. Therefore, the track record of bypolls is abundantly clear that people tend to vote for the ruling party in order to get their day-to-day works done.
Khaira dismissed rumours about AAP thinking of staying away from Gurdaspur bypoll and also thatKavita Khanna, wife of late BJP MP Vinod Khanna should have been the candidate. There was no discussion at all on this matter within the party before the bypoll, he categorically said.
AAP would shortly convene a meeting and do deep introspection into the causes of defeat and will try to take best corrective measures, he informed while appealing to the party rank and file not to loose heart or be demoralized.