Tarn Taran Assembly By-Election: An Acid Test for All Political Parties in Punjab

By Rajat Kumar Mohindru, Journalist, Jalandhar City
Tarn Taran, October 25, 2025: The Tarn Taran Assembly by-election is being seen as an acid test for all major political parties in Punjab. Voters will cast their votes on November 11, 2025, and counting will take place on November 14, 2025. The outcome of this by-election is expected to influence the future poll strategies of all political parties ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections scheduled for February or March 2027.
Interestingly, Member of Parliament Amritpal Singh, who won the 2023 Lok Sabha elections from Khadoor Sahib as an Independent candidate, has also fielded his own candidate for this by-election, adding a new dimension to the contest.
In the past, Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) candidate Harmeet Singh Sandhu—now contesting as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) nominee—won the Tarn Taran Assembly seat in 2007 and 2012 when SAD(B) and BJP were alliance partners. In 2017, Congress candidate Dr. Dharambir Agnihotri captured the seat, while in 2022, AAP’s Kashmir Singh Sohal registered victory by defeating SAD(B)’s Harmeet Singh Sandhu.
In 2007, as the SAD(B)-BJP alliance candidate, Harmeet Singh Sandhu won by over 16,500 votes, securing 48.7% of the total vote share. In 2012, he repeated his victory with a margin of 4,600 votes and a 41.63% vote share. In 2017, Congress candidate Dr. Dharambir Agnihotri won by about 14,500 votes, polling 45.11% of the votes. In 2022, AAP’s Kashmir Singh Sohal won by approximately 13,500 votes with a 40.45% vote share.
Notably, Harmeet Singh Sandhu stood second in both the 2017 and 2022 elections, while Dr. Dharambir Agnihotri was the runner-up in 2012. This time, Sandhu, who has shifted his allegiance to AAP, has once again been rewarded with the party’s ticket.

The key candidates in the fray are:
•    Harmeet Singh Sandhu (AAP)
•    Karanbir Singh Burj (Congress)
•    Harjit Singh Sandhu (BJP)
•    Sukhwinder Kaur (SAD-Badal)
•    Mandeep Singh (SAD–Waris Punjab De)

 

With multiple candidates in contention, the 21-Tarn Taran Assembly Constituency is set to witness a multi-cornered contest, and a clear prediction remains difficult.
BJP is highlighting its 18% vote share from the 2023 parliamentary elections and its improved performance in the recent Ludhiana Assembly by-election. Congress, which hopes to return to power in 2027, must demonstrate a significant revival in its voter base. SAD (Badal), which held this seat in 2007 and 2012, seeks to regain lost ground, while AAP, currently in power, aims to consolidate its position.
As all major political parties deploy their senior leaders to campaign in Tarn Taran, the by-election will serve as a political barometer for Punjab ahead of 2027. However, in the end, it will be the intelligent and discerning voters of Tarn Taran who will decide the fate of the candidates in this highly competitive electoral battle.

(VIews are personal)