Political Power Shift: AAP's Dhillon Dominates Gidderbaha

Manpreet Singh Badal, former Punjab finance minister and BJP candidate, lost the Gidderbaha seat, previously his stronghold, to AAP's Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon. Dhillon won with 71,644 votes, significantly defeating Congress's Amrita Warring. Badal, a veteran politician, ended third with a meager vote share.

Once a political bastion for Manpreet Singh Badal, the Gidderbaha assembly seat witnessed a dramatic shift, with AAP candidate Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon emerging victorious. Badal, a former Punjab finance minister, who ran under the BJP banner, was dealt a major blow as he failed to regain the seat he had represented multiple times in the past.

The election results declared on Saturday underscored AAP's growing influence in Punjab, with the party not only clinching Gidderbaha but also securing wins in Dera Baba Nanak and Chabbewal assembly segments. Meanwhile, the Congress managed a single victory in Barnala, highlighting a fragmented political landscape.

Dhillon's emphatic win over Congress's Amrita Warring by a margin of 21,969 votes marks a significant political realignment in the region. Badal's campaign, heavily reliant on his uncle Parkash Singh Badal's legacy, could not sway voters this time, as evidenced by his third-place finish and loss of the security deposit with only 8.9% of the votes.

(With inputs from agencies.)