BARNALA: Such was the lack of enthusiasm among electors in Sangrur parliamentary constituency on Friday that not one of its nine assembly segments could reach a voter turnout of 50%.
In all, the parliamentary seat recorded a 45.30% turnout. The turnout at the nine assembly segments which make up Sangrur Lok Sabha seat was 48.22% in chief minister Bhagwant Mann' assembly segment of Dhuri, 41.43% in Barnala (represented by education minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer), 46.77% in Dirba (represented by finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema), 43.01% in Lehra, 47.22% in Sunam, 44.54% in Bhadaur, 43.08% in Mehalkalan, 47.66% in Malerkotla, and 44.96% in Sangrur.
The worst turnout in Sangrur was 10.9% in 1991 parliamentary elections, when the militants had asked voters to stay away from polling and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had boycotted the election. On other occasions, Sangrur has always recorded a turnout of more than 60%, with the lowest figures being at 61.21% in 1971 and 62.53% in 1999 parliamentary elections. AAP had campaigned aggressively for candidate Gurmail Singh, with CM Bhagwant Mann taking charge of the entire exercise and the party also flying in Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for shows of strength.
