Punjab bypolls: AAP, Cong leading in 2 seats each

Chandigarh: The Aam Aadmi Party was leading from Chabbewal and Gidderbaha while the Congress was ahead in Dera Baba Nanak and Barnala segments in Punjab, showed initial trends in the counting of votes bypolls to four Assembly segments in the state on Saturday.

In Chabbewal, the AAP's Ishank Kumar Chabbewal consolidated his position as he was leading by 8,508 votes against his nearest rival and Congress candidate Ranjit Kumar after the fifth round of counting. The BJP's Sohan Singh Thandal was in the third spot.

In Gidderbaha, AAP's Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon was leading by 1,699 votes against his nearest rival and Congress nominee Amrita Warring, the wife of Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, after the two rounds of counting.

BJP candidate and former Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal was in the third spot.

The Dera Baba Nanak and Barnala segments witnessed neck-and-neck contests between the Congress and AAP.

In Barnala, Congress candidate Kuldeep Singh Dhillon was leading by 1,188 votes against AAP's Harinder Singh Dhaliwal after the six rounds of counting. BJP's Kewal Dhillon was in the third spot.

In Dera Baba Nanak, Congress candidate Jatinder Kaur Randhawa was leading by 421 votes against AAP candidate Gurdeep Singh Randhawa after four rounds of counting. Kaur is the wife of Congress MP from Gurdaspur Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa. BJP's Ravikaran Kahlon was at the third spot.

Counting of votes for the bypolls to Punjab's four assembly segments began at 8 am on Saturday.

Bypolls to Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal (SC) and Barnala took place on November 20. The bypolls were necessitated after the incumbent legislators were elected to the Lok Sabha earlier this year.