Over-confidence led to defeat: Ghalib

LUDHIANA, March 4: ``Low turnout, curtailed campaigning period and infighting amongst the party workers were the major factors that led to m...

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LUDHIANA, March 4: “Low turnout, curtailed campaigning period and infighting amongst the party workers were the major factors that led to my defeat in the Ludhiana Lok Sabha seat,” said Gurcharan Singh Ghalib, Congress nominee, who lost a keenly contested poll by a margin of 9,212 votes.

“Besides, the over-confidence generated because of the large gathering seen during Sonia Gandhi’s visit here just two days prior to polling, had made the workers complacent. However, the same factor worked the other round with the other camp, who were all charged up and went all-out to work for the victory of SAD-BJP candidate,” he said in an interview.

Nevertheless, he thanked the voters for their wholehearted support to him. Saying that he had very little time to carry out his campaigning, Ghalib said: “My candidature was cleared by the High Command only 20 days before the scheduled polling date. As against this my rival had more time at his disposal. By the time my candidature was cleared, he had covered a large area of the constituency by then.”

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On the other hand, the SAD-BJP combine has also been baffled by the slight margin of victory by which it’s nominee has emerged victorious. Aliwal had won this seat in 1996, by a margin of more than 72,000 votes when he had defeated Jaswant Kaur, wife of slain chief minister Beant Singh.

Keeping the winning margin acquired by the party in the last polls and BJP cadre votes in view, the combine was expecting to romp home quite comfortably. But things just went contrary to expectations and, at one time, the SAD-BJP leadership was worried whether it would be able to retain the seat even. The probability put Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s prestige at stake.Badal, the other day, had even warned the local leadership of stern action in those segments where Aliwal would get lesser votes.

“Less polling in urban areas and Sonia factor led to reduction in victory margin,” admitted a beaming Aliwal. However, he discounted the theory of back-stabbing with in the party’s rank and file.In the nine-segment constituency, Aliwal maintained his lead in Kila Raipur, Dakha, Koomkalan, Payal and Ludhiana (West) segments, while Ghalib received more votes than his nearest rival in Jagraon and Ludhiana (East, Rural and North) segments.

No matter what factors led to lowest margin of victory in this constituency having more than 14 lakh voters, the margin has surprised one and all in the ruling alliance.

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Aliwal’s winning lead was the lowest in all the 13 seats in the state, where the party had swept the poll.