AKALIS HAVE A CLEAN SWEEP IN BY - ELECTIONS www.akashradio.com

Akalis have a clean sweep in by-elections

Ruling Shiromani Akali Dal swept the by-polls in three assembly constituencies of Punjab by drubbing rival Congress today with SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal making his entry to the Vidhan Sabha. Sukhbir, who had to resign from the post of deputy chief minister for failing to make an entry into the state assembly within the stipulated six-month period after his nomination to the post, defeated Congress rival and former state minister Hans Raj Joshan by a margin of about 80,662 votes from Jalalabad Assembly seat, Election Commission office said.
The victory of Sukhbir, son of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, has paved way for his reinstatement to the post of deputy chief minister, SAD sources said. He is likely to take oath by this week end or the middle of next week, they said. Meanwhile, Capt Kanwaljit Singh's son Jasjit Singh Bunny won from Banur by 19,882 votes and Sewa Singh Sekhwan won by a margin of 14,022 votes.