Keen fight between Congress, SAD in Dhuri by-poll tomorrow

All arrangements have been made for the by-election to Dhuri constituency which is slated for tomorrow and likely to see a tough contest between the ruling SAD and Opposition Congress.
While the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which has fielded former minister Gobind Singh Longowal from the seat, will be aiming absolute majority in the House with this win, the embattled Congress has described this by-poll as "beginning of the end of SAD-BJP combine".
At present, SAD has 58 MLAs in the 117-seat Punjab Vidhan Sabha.
Dhuri by-poll was necessitated after Congress MLA Arvind Khanna resigned from the post in January this year.

Congress-Sanjha Morcha has fielded young and political greenhorn Simar Partap Singh Barnala, grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Surjeet Singh Barnala.
AAP is staying away from the by-poll despite party MP Bhagwant Singh Mann garnering sizeable votes from this Assembly constituency, a part of Sangrur Parliamentary seat during last Lok Sabha polls.

However, the ruling party's splinter group, SAD (Amritsar) candidate Surjit Singh Kalabula is also expected to give a fight to candidates of both the major parties.
Meanwhile, all arrangements have been made for tomorrow's polling, an official spokesperson said here.
A total of 12 candidates are in the fray for the seat for the bypoll to the seat and 1.51 lakh voters are expected to exercise their franchise.

Around 1,800 cops have been deployed at 116 polling booths for holding smooth and peaceful by-poll.
Dhuri SDM cum Returning officer Rajesh Dhiman said that polling will start at 8 AM and go on till 5 PM.
Punjab Government has declared April 11 as a paid holiday in all shops and commercial establishments situated within the Dhuri Assembly constituency.
The factories within the jurisdiction of Sangrur district, in which the Assembly segment falls, will also observe tomorrow as a paid holiday.
There will also be public holiday in all government offices, corporations, boards and educational institutes in Sangrur district tomorrow because of the by-poll.