Bhagwant Mann's 1st reaction after Sangrur Lok Sabha SHOCK

New Delhi: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann on Sunday reacted to Aam Aadmi Party's shocking defeat in Sangrur Lok Sabha by polls. AAP lost the seat to Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann today. After the polls, where no one had expected AAP's defeat, Bhagwant Mann said that he respects people's mandate and will continue to work harder.

"I respect the madate of people of Sangrur. I am working sincerely - day and night - for the progress and prosperity of Punjab and will work harder," Bhagwant Mann tweeted. "I am your son and will not leave any stone unturned to brighten the future of your families," he added.

Conceding defeat, AAP spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said, "We respect the mandate of the people of Sangrur seat. We also congratulate Simranjit Singh Mann." On the other hand, Simranjit Singh Mann defeated his nearest rival, AAP's Gurmail Singh, by a margin of 5,822 votes and dealing a big blow to the ruling party in Punjab.

The AAP's failure to retain the seat, considered as its pocket borough as Bhagwant Mann had won it twice, comes just three months after it registered a resounding victory in the state assembly polls.

This also comes at a time when the AAP is aggressively campaigning for the upcoming assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh. Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president and candidate Simranjit Mann, 77, won the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat after nearly 23 years. He polled 2,53,154 votes, while Gurmail Singh secured 2,47,332 votes, as per official figures.

Congress candidate Dalvir Singh Goldy, BJP's Kewal Dhillon and the SAD's Kamaldeep Kaur Rajoana were at the third, fourth and fifth spots respectively.
Goldy polled 79,668 votes, Dhillon 66,298 and Kaur 44,428, as per the poll result.

The SAD (Amritsar) supporters celebrated on the roads of Sangrur, distributing 'ladoos' among the people. Many were seen on cars and two-wheelers, raising slogans for their party leader. The bypoll to the seat was necessitated due to the resignation of AAP's Bhagwant Mann from the Lok Sabha after he was elected as an MLA in the state assembly elections earlier this year.