While Aam Aadmi Party has even surpassed exit poll expectations in Punjab, its Amritsar East Assembly Seat candidate Jeevan Jyot Kaur has pulled off the biggest upset of the season. The virtually unknown party worker toppled two heavyweights in Congress state chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia.
It was expected that the hotly contested Amritsar (East) would be a head-to-head battle between incumbent MLA Sidhu and SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal’s brother-in-law Majithia. However, AAP took up a different strategy in mind. It fielded a relatively unknown face outside the constituency, a woman candidate against to senior male leaders of the state.
While Sidhu and Majithia were the focus, Jeevan Jyot emerged from behind to bag the Amritsar East seat with 39,679 votes compared to Sidhu’s 32,929 votes and Majithia’s 25,188 votes.
Who is AAP’s Amritsar East MLA-designate Jeevan Jyot Kaur?
The young politician is reportedly known as the ‘Pad Woman’ of Amritsar for her efforts in spreading awareness about menstrual hygiene. She grew up the AAP ranks to become the district president of the party for Amritsar (Urban).
She reportedly entered an association with a Swiss based company to enable the availability of reusable pads for women in her region. She works towards awareness related menstrual hygiene and undertakes work of providing women with reusable sanitary napkins with the S.H.E Society, of which she is the chairperson.
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AAP sweeps the state of Punjab
A hotly contested election in Punjab saw multiple challengers. The traditional heavyweight Congress saw the AAP, led by Delhi CM Kejriwal and Punjab CM face Bhagwant Mann, emerge as it’s biggest rival. The regional stalwart party Shiromani Akali Dal of the Badal family entered an alliance with Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party. Bharatiya Janata Party entered an alliance with former chief minister Amarinder Singh`s Punjab Lok Congress party.
As per the latest updates, AAP has already won 79 seats and is leading on 13 others. A dismal campaign has seen Congress’ tally come down to 13 seats.
(With inputs from ANI)
