Amarjeet Sohi defeated by Conservative candidate in Edmonton Southeast

Amarjeet Sohi is not heading to Ottawa after failing to win in Edmonton Southeast on Monday night.

Sohi lost to Conservative candidate Jagsharan Singh Mahal in the federal election. With 137 of 159 polls reported, Singh Mahal led with 54 per cent of the vote to Sohi’s 38 per cent.

“This is not the result we expected, but this is the result that we accept,” Sohi told supporters after calling his opponent to concede. “Because people make decisions, people elect you, and sometimes they do not elect you. That is what the democracy is all about.

“The result is not a reflection of this campaign. And I take the responsibility for this because we can always, always do better, and I’m committed to making sure that I do better.”

Edmonton Southeast is one of seven ridings in the Alberta capital to elect a Conservative Member of Parliament on a night the Liberals formed government in Canada.

“I’m glad that Canadians have elected for (Mark) Carney to be our prime minister, and that he will be able to lead in a very, very, very meaningful way,” Sohi said.

Sohi, 61, was on unpaid leave from his duties as mayor during the election campaign. He said he did not regret his decision to run.

He will now return to the city’s top job, but reiterated he will not seek re-election at the next municipal election.

“I love this city,” Sohi said. “This is a city that has given me so much, this is a city that has lifted me up, and this is a city that I will continue to give back.

“I’ll continue to be here, continue to give back in various roles. Look forward to going back to city hall, connecting back with my colleagues, and finishing that job, and after that, I will be here to give back in many, many different ways.”

The newly redrawn federal riding of Edmonton Southeast covers part of the area Sohi used to represent when he was the MP for Edmonton Mill Woods from 2015 to 2019. Sohi served as a cabinet minister under Justin Trudeau, first as minister of infrastructure and communities, then as minister of natural resources.

But Edmonton voters did not send Sohi back to the nation’s capital this time around.

“I think we will do the analysis and undertake some of the analysis once all the numbers come in, to figure out where some of the shortcomings were and learn from those shortcomings,” he said.