Congress wins Shahkot assembly seat in Punjab

Punjab's ruling Congress candidate Hardev Singh Ladi today won Shahkot Assembly bypoll, defeating his nearest rival, Shiromani Akali Dal nominee Naib Singh Kohar, by a margin of 38,801 votes, an election office spokesperson said.

Ladi got 82,745 votes while Akali Dal's candidate Kohar polled 43,944 votes, he said.

Congress wrested the Shahkot bypoll from the opposition party Akali Dal. The Assembly seat was considered an Akali borough with the late Ajit Singh Kohar, Naib Singh Khar's father, being elected from there five times.

With this victory, Congress' strength in the 117-member Punjab Vidhan Sabha will reach 78, a two-third majority in the House.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Rattan Singh Kakkar Kalan polled just 1,900 votes.

The bypoll was necessitated by the death of Ajit Singh Kohar in February this year.