The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announced on Monday that Mohinder Bhagat will be its candidate for the bypoll in the Jalandhar West reserved assembly segment, scheduled for July 10. Bhagat, who switched from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to AAP last year, previously contested the same seat unsuccessfully on a BJP ticket in 2022.
The bypoll was necessitated by the resignation of Sheetal Angural, the former AAP legislator who joined the BJP in March. AAP is the first major political party to announce its candidate for the July 10 bypoll. The nomination process began on June 14, with the last date for filing on June 21. Scrutiny will take place on June 24, and withdrawals are permitted until June 26.
With Angural’s resignation accepted by the Punjab Assembly Speaker on May 30, the contest for the Jalandhar West constituency is intensifying. The outcome of this bypoll carries significant implications for both state and regional politics.
Who is Mohinder Bhagat?
Mohinder Bhagat joined AAP from BJP during the bye-elections held in 2023. He was inducted into AAP in Chandigarh. Bhagat’s father, Chunni Lal Bhagat, was a prominent BJP figure in Punjab and had served as a minister in the state government. The BJP fielded Mohinder Bhagat in the assembly elections in February 2022, where he faced a crushing defeat. He left BJP during the by-election and joined AAP.
