Lok Sabha elections 2019: Sangrur constituency will be a litmus test for AAP

Sangrur parliamentary constituency is one of the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab and has never been under one party for long.

Out of 15 elections held in the Sangrur constituency, the SAD has won five and Congress four times. The constituency has also sent Communist Party of India (CPI), Akali Dal – Sant Fateh Singh and Shiromani Akali Dal (Mann) to Parliament. The former chief minister and SAD veteran Surjit Singh Barnala was the only leader to be elected thrice in Sangrur in 1977, 1996 and then in 1998.

Click here for full coverage of Lok Sabha elections 2019

It had been under the Shiromani Akali Dal till 2004 except one term in 1999, when splinter SAD(Mann) leader Simranjit Singh Mann won from Sangrur. In 2004, SAD leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa won the seat back but lost to Congress’ Vijay Inder Singla in 2009.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Bhagwant Mann clinched the seat in 2014 by beating Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa. The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP had fielded Bhagwant Mann once again this year from Sangrur.

The Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA) has named Punjabi singer Jassi Jasraj as its candidate from Sangrur Lok Sabha seat against Mann.

Sangrur will vote on May 19 and results will be declared on May 23.

Here are some details about the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat:

State: Punjab

Name of the Lok Sabha constituency: Sangrur

Polling date: May 19

Sitting MP, party: Bhagwant Mann, AAP

Winning margin in 2014: 211,721

Runner up name, party: Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, SAD

Number of voters in 2014: 1,099,467

Percentage of votes polled in 2014: 77.17%

Number of women voters in 2014: 666,546

Number of polling booths in 2014: 1,542