Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 15

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today said the stupendous victory in the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha byelection “is a precursor of the revival of the Congress at the national level”.Comparing the poll results to the Chikmagalur victory of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, which marked the revival of the Congress in the late 1970s, Amarinder said the results underlined the downfall of the BJP that had been fuelled by the adverse impact of the GST and demonetisation.“The results will strengthen the party’s upward trend which began with the win in various university student union elections, Maharashtra civic polls and Kerala bypoll,” said Amarinder.Crediting Sunil Jakhar and party MLAs and workers for the victory, the CM said it reaffirmed anti-Akali sentiments, especially in Gurdaspur, where victory margin was much higher.In the Assembly constituencies falling in Pathankot district, he attributed the Rajput factor for comparatively lesser margins for the Congress. The only exception was the BJP bastion, Sujanpur, where senior Congress leader Brahm Mohindra was camping. Aiming at AAP, the CM said the vote share of the party had come down to 2 per cent. He pointed out that AAP’s Sucha Singh Chhotepur polled 1,73,376 votes in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and the same party could manage 23,579 votes, with its candidate even losing his security deposit.

Rewarding MLAs?

On Cabinet expansion after the Gurdaspur bypoll as was announced by him, the CM said he would discuss the matter with AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi. A senior leader, however, said the expansion would take place only after Rahul’s elevation as the party president. On Cabinet berth to Dera Baba Nanak MLA Sukhjinder Randhawa from whose segment the party got the highest margin, Amarinder said: “I had promised him dinner on getting highest margin. Now, I will invite him to dinner.”

No vendetta, CM reiterates

Amarinder said he would prefer the anti-drug STF to investigate and take suitable action against all guilty once the probe was completed, indicating that he would now tow the line of acting against Akalis in the drugs case. MLAs from Gurdaspur, led by Randhawa, had been seeking action against Akalis whose names had cropped up in the drugs case. Similarly for the sacrilege incident, Justice Ranjit Singh Commission was doing its job, the CM said.

What they said…

The victory has reaffirmed people’s faith in Capt Amarinder and his policies. I promise to raise in Parliament issues such as the GST, unemployment and incentives to industry on par with hill states. Skill development will be taken up on a priority to tackle unemployment. — Sunil Jakhar, PPCC president People have not voted for the Congress, but for Jakhar and his clean image… Moreover, the ruling party usually wins the bypoll. The Congress has come to power in the state just seven months ago and it should not take the win as a certificate of its performance. Shahnawaz Hussain, BJP spokespersonWe are not surprised by the victory of Congress candidate, keeping in view the blatant misuse of government machinery. A mere 56 per cent polling proves that the government had already ensured the victory of its candidate.— Prem Singh Chandumajra, SAD spokesman and MPWe accept that it is the failure of the AAP state unit. It is time for introspection and to stop indulging in blame game. — Baljinder Kaur, AAP legislator