AAP names Shushil Kumar Rinku for Jalandhar Lok Sabha bye election

Politics: Day after joining Shushil Kumar Rinku is AAP candidate  for Jalandhar Lok Sabha bye election

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) heaved a sigh of relief in finding a candidate to contest the ensuing Jalandhar Lok Sabha bye election. A day after former MLA Sushil Kumar Rinku, who lost the last Assembly elections to AAP candidate, joined the ruling party, he was fielded from the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat, bye election to which is scheduled to be held on May 10. The seat was declared vacant after the death of Chaudhary Santokh Singh of Congress. He had died of a heart attack while participating in the Bharat Jodo campaign of Congress party.

The Congress has already named Kanwarjit Kaur, widow of Chaudhary Santokh Singh, as its candidate. Other parties eyeing this seat include Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance.

 The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)  decided on Thursday  to field Shushil Kumar Rinku as its candidate for the Jalandhar Lok Sabha by-poll. Rinku has a clean image and has a strong hold among the people of Jalandhar.

 Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, as the party’s Punjab unit president, announced the name of Shushil Kumar Rinku on his Twitter. Mann tweeted, “Aam Aadmi Party approves the candidature of Shushil Kumar Rinku ji for the Jalandhar Lok Sabha by-election.. Best wishes”

After the demise of MP Santokh Chowdhary, the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat was  declared vacant and voting for this parliament seat is to be held on May 10. The results will be declared on 13 May while April 20 is the last date for filing nominations.

 Shushil Kumar Rinku first competed in 2017 from Jalandhar West. He reached the legislative assembly after defeating his opponent by 17334 votes.

Shushil Kumar Rinku had joined the Aam Aadmi Party only on Wednesday and he was welcomed into the party by the party supremo and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal himself. During this, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and MP Raghav Chadha were also present.

Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat has remained a Congress stronghold. Only thrice it has gone to opposition candidates. Former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral contested successfully from this seat twice on JD(U) ticket with support from Shiromani Akali Dal. Only once, SAD won this seat on its own.

Prabhjot Singh