With the Amarinder Singh government completing over a year in office, the Shahkot Assembly bypoll on Monday is set to be a big test of the ruling Congress as the segment remains a stronghold of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) which is determined to retain the seat.

The by-poll was necessitated following the demise of   81-years-old SAD leader Ajit Singh Kohar in February. Shahkot is a stronghold of Akali Dal in Doaba region as SAD candidates had won the seat five times in a row between 1997 and 2017.

The ruling Congress is banking on the performance of the Amarinder Singh government for garnering support by highlighting the farm loan waiver for small and marginal farmers despite bad financial of the state and efforts to being the state, allegedly ruined by the Akalis – back on track for a better future. On the other hand, the SAD highlighted the unfulfilled promises like full farm loan waiver, jobs for each household and end to drug menace in the state.

The Congress also focused on the lack of development in Shahkot and promised development while the SAD also focused in local issues like ruling party’s involvement in illegal sand mining, molasses leakage incident and alleged removal of Sikh history from Class 12.

It’s the first election after the Assembly polls which is being fought by the Akalis with their full strength and the party indicated its resolve to regain the lost ground in the state by managing to bring three leaders of AAP and one of Congress into its fold.

The third player, AAP has so far failed to make an impact despite being voted to as main Opposition party in the Assembly. With the top AAP leaders failing to put up a united front and defection of the ground level workers to other parties, the Arvind Kejriwal-led outfit is looking to put up a good fight.

While the Congress has fielded Hardev Singh Laddi as its candidate, the SAD has given the ticket to Kohar’s son, Naib Singh Kohar. The AAP has nominated Rattan Singh Kakkar Kalan for the bypoll.

As per the Election Commission, 1,72,676 voters will decide the fate of 12 candidates in fray. Voting will start at 7 a.m. on May 28 and will go on till 6 p.m. Counting of votes will be held on May 31.

As many as 1,416 polling staff, 1,022 Punjab police and Border Security Force personnel, and 80 micro observers have been deputed in Shahkot.