AAP's Sushil Rinku wins Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll

Chandigarh: AAP candidate Sushil Rinku on Saturday won the Jalandhar Lok Sabha by-election, defeating his nearest rival and Congress nominee Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary by a margin of 58,691 votes.

Rinku polled 3,02,279 votes while Chaudhary secured 2,43,588, as per Election Commission data.

Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi, who was also backed by the Mayawati-led BSP, was at the third spot, while BJP nominee Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal was at the fourth position.

Sukhi polled 1,58,445 votes and Atwal 1,34,800.

Counting of votes for the seat, a bypoll for which was held on May 10, began at 8 am amid tight security arrangements.

The bypoll was necessitated following the death of Karamjit Kaur's husband and sitting Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary in January.