National/ Punjab desk
17 July
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
Mahinder Bhagat of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has officially taken his oath as the MLA for the Jalandhar West constituency. Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan administered the oath, and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was present at the ceremony.
Bhagat’s victory came after a by-election was held due to the resignation of the previous AAP MLA, Sheetal Angural. The election results, announced on July 13, showed Bhagat winning with a significant margin. He received 55,246 votes, while his main competitor, Sheetal Angural from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), secured only 17,921 votes.
This victory is notable as Bhagat had left the BJP last year to join AAP. His decision to switch parties proved successful, as he now holds the seat in the Punjab Legislative Assembly.
Bhagat’s win is seen as a boost for AAP in Punjab, reaffirming the party’s strong position in the state. The by-election attracted significant attention, with many seeing it as a reflection of the current political climate and voter sentiment in Punjab.
Overall, Bhagat’s transition from BJP to AAP and subsequent electoral success highlights the dynamic nature of Punjab’s political landscape.