Punjab Election results 2022 LIVE: AAP sweeps Congress out

Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and over half of his ministers have lost from the seats they were contesting as the AAP stormed to power in Punjab on Thursday with an overwhelming majority.

The Aam Aadmi Party scripted history by winning 92 of the 117 assembly seats while the ruling Congress suffered a severe drubbing.

Channi, who contested from Chamkaur Sahib in Rupnagar district and Bhadaur in Barnala, lost from both the seats to AAP candidates.

Channi was the sitting MLA from Chamkaur Sahib. He had succeeded Amarinder Singh after his unceremonious exit as the chief minister in September last year.

While minister O P Soni was defeated by AAP's Ajay Gupta from Amritsar Central, Raj Kumar Verka lost to AAP's Jasbir Singh Sandhu from Amritsar West.

Manpreet Singh Badal suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of AAP's Jagroop Gill from Bathinda Urban seat. From Sangrur, Vijay Inder Singla lost to AAP's Narinder Kaur Bharaj while Bharat Bhushan Ashu lost to AAP's Gurpreet Bassi Gogi from Ludhiana West.

In a major setback to the Badal family, the Punjab Assembly poll results threw up a surprise as even lesser known faces of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) defeated them by convincing margins. It will be for the first time in three decades that the Badal family will have no representation in the 117-member Punjab Assembly. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patriarch and former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, the oldest candidate in the polls at the age of 94, lost to AAP's Gurmeet Singh  Khudian from his traditional Lambi seat in Muktsar district. Parkash Badal was defeated by Khudian by a margin of 11,396 votes. His son and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, the MP from Ferozepur parliamentary constituency, had entered the fray from the Jalalabad seat in Fazilka district. However, he also lost to AAP's Jagdeep Kamboj by a margin of 30,930 votes. Parkash Badal's nephew Manpreet Singh Badal, who is a Congress leader and a state minister, faced a crushing defeat from the Bathinda Urban seat against AAP's Jagroop Singh Gill by a margin of 63,581 votes. Sukhbir Badal's brother-in-law and SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia ended the poll race on the third spot from Amritsar East. AAP's Jeevanjyot Kaur won the seat, defeating state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. Majithia had left his Majitha seat in Amritsar to take on Sidhu, who was the MLA from Amritsar East. Parkash Badal's son-in-law Adaish Pratap Singh Kairon was defeated by AAP's Laljit Singh Bhullar from Patti by a margin of 10,999 votes. However, Majithia's wife Ganieve Kaur Majithia, a political greenhorn, won from Majitha. She defeated her nearest rival, Sukhjinder Raj Singh of the AAP, by a margin of 26,062 votes.

All the Badals, led by five-time Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, the eldest candidate at 94 in fray for the 117-member Punjab Assembly, as well as their kin, on Thursday lost to AAP's greenhorns. READ FULL STORY 

I am very happy. His father must have been happy too, to see his son becoming a Chief Minister...Earlier also he was on the right path, today also he is on the right path...: Harpal Kaur, mother of Bhagwant Mann, AAP CM candidate from Dhuri

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal lost to AAP's Jagdeep Kamboj from Jalalabad seat in Punjab's Fazilka district, according to poll results declared on Thursday. Sukhbir, the son of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, lost by a margin of 30,930 votes. Notably, Sukhbir who is SAD MP from Ferozepur, had entered the fray from Jalalabad assembly constituency. Sukhbir has earlier been a three-time legislator.

Till some months ago, Charanjit Singh Channi was just another minister in Amarinder Singh's Congress government. And when the party decided to replace the veteran leader as the chief minister in Punjab, Channi wasn't even in the list of obvious front-runners. But after the Congress made the surprise decision, Channi took to his new role as CM with enthusiasm, announcing sops, featuring in full-page newspaper advertisements and even participating in a game of hockey. Though Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, who played a major role in Amarinder Singh's ouster, continued with his pitch to be declared the party CM's face as the assembly polls neared, the Congress picked Channi. His credentials as Punjab's first Dalit CM appeared to help. Over 30 per cent of the state's population is Dalit. The Congress fielded Channi from two seats -- Chamkaur Sahib in Rupnagar and Bhadaur in Barnala, a move which showed how much the Congress was banking on him. He lost from both, and the party received a drubbing from the Aam Aadmi Party. Channi, who appeared to come from nowhere to centre stage for about four months, is now headed back to relative obscurity. READ FULL STORY 

It's the victory of the people of Punjab. My ticket was announced around Dec 3 ...Got positive indication during door-to-door campaigns that Punjab has overcome identity politics: AAP's Amritsar East candidate Jeevanjot Kaur on toppling Cong' Sidhu & SAD's Majithia from the seat

From a comedian to the chief minister-designate of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann has come a long way in a political career of just over a decade. Before his legislative assembly debut this time, he has been elected twice as a Member of Parliament from Sangrur. And weeks before the Punjab election, the Aam Aadmi Party declared him its CM face after a phone-in poll, called “Janta Chunegi Apna CM” (people will pick their own CM). READ FULL STORY 

Senior Congress leader and party's deputy leader in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma congratulated the Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday for its victory in Punjab and hoped that its government will deliver on the electoral promises. "Congratulations to Arvind Kejriwal for Aam Admi Party's victory in Punjab. We hope that the new government delivers on its electoral promises," he said on Twitter. Sharma is one of the leaders of the G-23, which has been critical of the Congress leadership and demanded organisational overhaul. His colleague and Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi took a swipe at the AAP's leadership in Punjab, alleging that hey will be in "high spirits". "From the preliminary looks of it, the Aam Aadmi party cadre & their CM face in Punjab will be in high spirits today," Singhvi tweeted.

Promise of better public services, good quality schools and hospitals, which got the AAP two consecutive terms in Delhi, remained the consistent campaign theme for the party led by Arvind Kejriwal in polls in Punjab where the party swept the assembly polls on Friday. Caught in a multi-cornered contest along with the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal in the state, Kejriwal had unveiled a 10 point 'Punjab Model', drawn from its model of governance in Delhi, and assured the voters of creating a new-age, prosperous, and forward-looking Punjab. While Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the entire country was now looking up to Delhi's model of governance of Kejriwal, senior AAP leader Gopal Rai asserted that people have given their mandate to AAP in Punjab looking at the work of the party's government under Kejriwal in Delhi. "Our Delhi model of governance turned out to be the biggest attraction among the voters. The kind of work that has been done by the Delhi government under Kejriwal in education, healthcare and other sectors sent out a positive message and gave hope to the people of Punjab," the Delhi environment minister told PTI. Under attack from opponents like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi and Sukhbir Badal during the Punjab campaign for his alleged association with separatists, Kejriwal had quipped "I will be perhaps the world's sweetest terrorist, building hospitals and schools for people and sending the elderly on pilgrimages." The Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) ruling in Delhi for the past seven years has come with a model of governance (Delhi Model) that encompasses its policies and programmes in various fields including health, education, women safety and empowerment, doorstep delivery of services, free power and water supply, free bus travel for women and fighting corruption. 

Swaraj India president and former AAP leader Yogendra Yadav on Thursday termed the Arvind Kejriwal-led party's performance in Punjab as "spectacular and extraordinary", but said it's more "an indictment" of the "entire political establishment" rather than the success of a party in the electoral battle. Speaking to PTI, he said people of the state have given their mandate to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as it managed to present itself as the "only visible political alternative". He also listed five key challenges that the AAP may have to face after coming to power in the state, saying the party will have to understand "federalism and respect regional sentiments" as Punjab has always "detested" central control and rejected the control of "Dilli Darbar". The AAP is 'Dilli Darbar' and it is controlled by Delhi, he said. FULL STORY 

 Former Congress leader Ashwani Kumar, who quit the party ahead of the Punjab Assembly polls, on Thursday said the state election results signal the "endgame" for the grand old party and the emergence of an alternative political narrative in the country. He said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) are the principal engines of this alternative political narrative and hoped that this is the beginning of a new and refreshing politics that is responsive to the sensitivities of the people. FULL STORY 

Even today, BJP & Congress are the only two political parties present in most regions, but people are losing interest in Congress's ideology... Congress' presence is still more than AAP: Haryana CM & BJP leader Manohar Lal Khattar

The Congress on Thursday blamed former party leader and Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh for the rout in state assembly elections. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) recorded an overwhelming win in Punjab winning over 90 seats, while the Congress could manage just 18 seats (till the filing of this report).  Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said people of Punjab voted in favour of AAP as they were unhappy with Amarinder's regime. FULL STORY 

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday lost the electoral battle from both the assembly seats of Bhadaur and Chamkaur Sahib to the Aam Aadmi Party nominees. According to the website of the Election Commission, Channi was drubbed by AAP's political greenhorn Labh Singh Ugoke with a margin of 37,558 votes from Bhadaur seat. The incumbent chief minister also bit the dust from Chamkaur Sahib where he was defeated by AAP's Charanjit Singh by a margin of 7,942 votes. The Congress' gamble of fielding Channi, a member of Scheduled Caste, from two seats failed to yield any positive results. The party's decision to replace Amarinder Singh with Channi towards the fag end of the former's five-year term to wade away anti-incumbency also came as a cropper.  The Congress has won nine seats in the polls and is leading on nine out of 117 seats it contested. 

We've only lost election, not our courage; We'll keep fighting till we win and will return with new strategy: Cong leader Randeep Surjewala. PTI SKC

In Punjab, we failed to overcome anti-incumbency of 4.5 yrs of Amarinder Singh govt, people voted for change: Congress. 

Leader of Opposition in the current Assembly, Harpal Singh Cheema, has won from the Dirba seat, as per the poll results declared on Thursday. The AAP leader defeated Shiromani Akali Dal nominee Gulzar Singh by a margin of 50,655 votes. Punjab minister and Congress candidate O P Soni was defeated from his home constituency Amritsar Central. AAP candidate Ajay Gupta defeated Soni by a margin of 14,026 votes.

Such a big mandate scares us too, we won't break people's faith: AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Punjab poll results.

Sukhbir Singh Badal lost, Capt Sahab lost, Channi Sahab lost, Parkash Singh Badal lost, Navjot Singh Sidhu lost, Bikram Singh Majithia lost. Punjab has done amazing. Bhagat Singh once said if we don't change the system after the British leave, nothing will happen. Sadly in last 75 yrs, these parties & leaders had the same British system, they were looting the country, no schools/hospitals were made. AAP has changed the system: Arvind Kejriwal

The people of Punjab defeated BJP and Congress and gave a mandate to Aam Aadmi Party. There was anger against PM Modi in the hearts of Punjab farmers... BJP will have to wait for 2.5 years in Maharashtra: NCP chief Sharad Pawar

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu loses from Amritsar East by a margin of 6,750 votes. Shiromani Akali Dal's Bikram Singh Majithia loses from Amritsar East by a margin of 14,408 votes. 

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal has tanked the people of Punjab for voting his party to power in Punjab. Addressing the media in Delhi, he said, "I am not a terrorist... people of country have spoken." "Punjab waalo tussi kamaal kar ditta', we all love you, Punjab. The results are a massive 'inquilaab', big seats have shaken up."

Focus will be on schools, health, industry, making agriculture profitable, safety of women & improving sports infra, says Bhagwant Mann.

Congress candidate and Bollywood actor Sood has lost from the Moga assembly seat in Punjab. She lost to AAP's AMANDEEP KAUR ARORA. 

AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal to speak from party office at 3 pm. The Aam Aadmi Party appeared set for a clean sweep in Punjab having taken lead in 93 of the 117 assembly seats.

No government office will have CM's photos, there will be  pictures of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Babasaheb Ambedkar: AAP's Bhagwant Mann, at Sangrur

AAP's Bhagwant Mann says he will take oath as Punjab CM in Bhagat Singh's ancestral village Khatkar Kalan, not in Raj Bhawan.

Most of Channi's ministers, who had succeeded Amarinder Singh after his unceremonious exit as the chief minister in September last year, were also trailing. From Amritsar Central seat, Minister O P Soni was trailing behind AAP's Ajay Gupta while Raj Kumar Verka was behind AAP's Jasbir Singh Sandhu from Amritsar West. Manpreet Singh Badal was behind AAP's Jagroop Gill from Bathinda Urban seat while from Gidderbaha, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring was trailing behind Akali Dal's Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon. From Sangrur, Vijay Inder Singla was trailing behind AAP's Narinder Kaur Bharaj. Pargat Singh was trailing behind AAP's Surinder Singh Sodhi from Jalandhar Cantonment and Bharat Bhushan Ashu was behind AAP's Gurpreet Bassi Gogi from Ludhiana West. Razia Sultana was behind her nearest AAP rival Mohammed Jamil-ur-Rahman from Malerkotla seat. Sangat Singh Gilzian was trailing behind AAP's Jasvir Singh Raja Gill from Urmar seat. Ministers Rana Gurjeet Singh, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa were leading.

As the AAP appeared set for a clean sweep in Punjab, the party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday congratulated the people of the state for this revolution. "Many congratulations to the people of Punjab for this revolution," Kejriwal, the Delhi chief minister, said in a tweet in Hindi. In the tweet, he also posted a picture of him standing with the AAP's chief ministerial candidate and MP Bhagwant Mann, with both leaders flashing victory sign.

Bhagwant Mann while addressing AAP workers said that opposition parties targeted Arvind Kejriwal and him using personal comments and passed derogatory remarks. "Today I want to tell them that the kind of language you used, you are welcome to it. You made personal comments about us and our families but people didn’t like that. Today, we forgive them but from now onwards they will have to respect 3 crore Punjabis," he said.

AAP's CM candidate Bhagwant Mann thanks people of Punjab for voting the party to power. He said: "Waheguru ji ka khalsa, waheguru ji ki fatehto all Punjabis in every corner of the world, I give my thanks and congratulate them. There were many Punjabis who couldn’t come to Punjab in this fight but they helped as much as they could. Wherever they are living I thank them."

AAP CM candidate Bhagwant Mann and his mother Harpal Kaur share an emotional moment as they greet the party workers and supporters in Sangrur.

BJP's Pathankot candidate Ashwani Kumar Sharma wins. He defeated Congress Amit Vij by more than 7,000 votes. While Ashwani secured 42,787 votes, Amit got 35,159 votes. AAP's candidate Vibhuti Sharma finished third with 31,149 votes.

AAP's CM candidate Bhagwant Mann wins from Dhuri seat. He defeated nearest rival Dalvir Singh of Congress by a massive margin. While Mann secured more than 72,000 votes, Singh pocketed a little more than 22,000 votes. SAD's Parkash Chand Garg finished third with 5,680 votes. BJP's Randeep Singh grabbed the fourth spot with 5,220 votes. FULL STORY

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu has lost election from Amritsar East seat. Sidhu, a sitting MLA, lost to AAP's Jeevan Jyot Kaur. The SAD had fielded Bikram Majithia who secured third spot.

AAP is leading in 90 seats, Congress in 16 seats and SAD in 6 seats. 

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has convened a meeting of Council of Ministers at 11:30 AM tomorrow. Channi is likely to sumbit his resignation to the Governor after the meeting.

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal trails by a margin of 10,526 votes from the Jalalabad seat

Former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh lost election from his home-turf Patiala. He lost the seat to Aam Aadmi Party's Ajit Pal Singh Kohli. While Ajit Pal Singh Kohli secured 33,142 votes, Amarinder got 22,868 votes. Harpal Juneja of the SAD was at the third spot with 9,657. Congress nominee Vishnu Sharma pocketed 7,593 votes. FULL STORY 

The Election Commission of India has withdrawn ban on victory processions. The Commission had earlier banned all victory processions.

Punjab Lok Congress chief and former chief minister Amarinder Singh was trailing from his pocket borough Patiala Urban. The scion of the erstwhile Patiala royal family has been a legislator from Patiala seat in 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017 as a Congress candidate. AAP candidate Ajit Pal Singh Kohli was leading by a margin of 9,592 votes from Patiala Urban.

From Pathankot, Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma was leading over his nearest Congress rival and sitting MLA Amit Vij by a margin of over 2,500 votes. 

Punjab has proven that it likes the Arvind Kejriwal-Bhagwant Mann pair, & no other party's pair... all other parties tried to defame us & called Kejriwal Ji a terrorist, but public proved that he is a 'shikshak-wadi': AAP’s Punjab co-in charge Raghav Chadha

Punjab Finance Minister and Congress leader Manpreet Singh Badal was trailing over his nearest AAP rival Jagroop Singh Gill from Bathinda Urban by a margin of over 9,931 votes.

Lakhwinder, AAP supporter, was seen dancing to the beats of dhols in Kharar constituency. "Those parties which until yesterday were questioning the exit poll surveys which showed clear majority to AAP will have no face to show now," he said, while distributing sweets to other supporters.

AAP leader and party's Punjab affairs in-charge Jarnail Singh said that after Delhi, his party is sweeping Punjab. "The people of the state had faced a lot of problems during previous regimes and had pinned hopes on AAP," he said, adding that a new beginning for Punjab has started and state will become prosperous now. Targeting the Congress and the BJP, he said, "These parties never talked of welfare of common people."

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia were trailing from Amritsar East seat, according to initial poll trends. Aam Aadmi Party candidate Jeevanjyot Kaur was leading over her nearest rival Majithia by a margin of 590 votes. The Amritsar East constituency in Amritsar is the most keenly watched electoral contest.

Among the seats from where AAP was leading included Lambi, Patiala Urban, Lehra, Anandpur Sahib, Batala, Attari, Bathinda Urban, Dasuya, Dera Bassi, Dharamkot, Dina Nagar, Dirba, Ferozepur Rural and Gill.

In her first election, Jeevanjyot Kaur, 50, is ahead of Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu and SAD leader Bikram Majithia from Amritsar East. As per the ECI, she has secured 3,058 votes while Majithia and Sidhu have secured 2,468 and 2,091 votes.

We can witness positive trends in Punjab, and we hope the results will also be positive. I thank the people of Punjab for voting for change: Delhi minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai. AAP has crossed the majority mark with an early lead in 88 Assembly constituencies in Punjab.

AAP's chief ministerial face Bhagwant Mann is leading from Punjab's Dhuri seat by a margin of 4,387 votes on Thursday, according to early poll trends. Mann is leading over his nearest rival and Congress candidate Dalvir Singh Goldy.

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal is trailing behind the AAP candidate in Punjab's Jalalabad constituency on Thursday, according to initial poll trends. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Jagdeep Kamboj is leading by a margin of 827 votes in the constituency in Fazilka district.

The Aam Aadmi Party has taken comfortable lead in Punjab. The party is likely to form the next government in the border, as per the early trends. The party is leading on 90 of 117 seats while the Congress is leading on just 18 seats. 

Punjab's CM Charanjit Singh Channi is trailing from Chamkaur Sahib as well. He is also in the fray from Bhadaur. He won last elections from Chamkaur Sahib.

Five-time chief minister and SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal is trailing from his pocket borough Lambi seat in Muktsar district. The 94-year-old leader is the country's oldest candidate to fight elections. AAP's Gurmeet Singh Khudian is at the first spot. 

The Aam Aadmi Party is leading on 73 seats in Punjab. The Punjab Legislative Assembly has 117 seats and 59 is the halway mark. If trends are to be believed, the AAP will form the next government. 

Punjab's CM Charanjit Singh Channi is trailing from Bhadaur. He is contesting from Chamkaur Sahib as well. He won last elections from Chamkaur Sahib.

Former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh is trailing from Patiala. AAP candidate Ajit Pal Singh Kohli is leading from here. 

AAP candidate Gagan Anmol Mann is leading from Kharar. AAP’s Rajnish Dhayia leading from Ferozepur (rural). 

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu trails in Amritsar East. AAP candidate Jeevanjot Kaur is at first spot while SAD's Bikram Singh Majithia at the second spot. 

Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal is leading from Jalalabad seat. He is contesting against Jagdeep Kamboj of AAP and Mohan Singh of Congress.

In early trends, Shiromani Akali Dal leads in Mukerian Assembly constituency in Punjab, as per the Election Commission

SAD leads in Ajnala. Amarpal Singh Ajnala is leading. The AAP has fielded Kuldeep Dingh Dhaliwal while the Congress has fielded Harpratap Singh Ajnala.

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu is leading from Amritsar East in early trends. He is facing a challenge from SAD big gun Bikram Singh Majithia.

Preparations for celebration are underway at Aam Aadmi Party's office in Delhi as the party reaced ahead of others in Punjab. A stage has been built at the party office from where Arvind Kejriwal will address the workers. The AAP is leading on 40 seats. 

Around 7,500 personnel have been deputed for the counting process at 66 locations. A three-tier security measure has been set up with the deployment of 45 companies of Central Armed Police Forces. Section 144 of CRPC has been imposed in all the districts.

Congress is leading on 18 seats while AAP is leading on 30 seats. The with Shiromani Akali Dal is leading on 5 seats while the BJP+ on 1 seat. 

Charanjit Singh Channi has taken lead in Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur. He is contesting from two seats. He won last elections from Chamkaur Sahib.

Amarinder Singh is leading in his home turf Patiala Urban seat. He was unseated by the Congress last year from the post of chief minister following a bitter feud with Sidhu.

Early trends show a neck and neck battle between AAP and Congress in Punjab. Candidates of both the parties are leading on 10 Assembly seats each. 

Congress leads in Dera Baba Nanak. Congress candidate Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa is leading in Dera Baba Nanak seat. The BJP has fielded Kuldeep Singh while AAP has fielded Gurdeep Singh.

Counting of votes began at 117 centres in 66 locations across Punjab amid tight security. The state recorded voter turnout of 71.95 per cent. A total of 1,304 candidates, including 93 women and two transgenders, are in the fray.

Amarinder Singh, who was unseated by the Congress last year from the post of chief minister following a bitter feud with Sidhu, is contesting from his home turf Patiala Urban seat.

Five-time chief minister and SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal fought from his pocket borough Lambi seat in Muktsar district. The 94-year-old leader is the country's oldest candidate to fight elections. SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was trying his luck from Jalalabad seat.

AAP leader and its CM candidate Bhagwant Mann was trying his luck from Dhuri seat as he fought against sitting MLA and Congress nominee Dalvir Singh Goldy.

Result would be keenly watched in Chamkaur Sahib constituency from where Channi is seeking a re-election. He also contested from the Bhadaur assembly seat in Barnala district. 

The poll fight in Amritsar East constituency is considered as the mother of all electoral battles. Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu fought against SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia from this seat.

Former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh has exuded confidence that the people of Punjab will deliver a positive verdict in favour of his party's alliance with the BJP and SAD (Sanyukt). "We trust people's judgment to deliver a positive verdict in our favour and provide us with a chance to serve them for next five years, he said, adding that the feedback from candidates and workers was very positive and encouraging," he said.

The BJP, which used to be a junior partner during its previous alliance with the SAD, was fighting the elections as a major partner after entering into an alliance with the Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Lok Congress and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led SAD (Sanyukt). The BJP is hopeful of getting a good response especially in Hindu dominated urban and semi-urban areas. The Sanyukt Samaj Morcha, comprising various Punjab farmer bodies which had taken part in the stir against the Centre's now-repealed farm laws, fought the polls in alliance with the Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union (Chaduni) leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni-led Sanyukt Sangharsh Party.

The Congress won the 2017 assembly elections with a clear majority of 77 seats. The AAP won 20, the Shiromani Akali Dal 15, BJP three and independents two. The 2012 assembly elections were won by the SAD-BJP alliance.

The stakes are also high for the SAD which contested the polls in alliance with the BSP after breaking electoral ties with the BJP in 2020 over farm laws issue. With Sukhbir Singh Badal in the driving seat, the SAD is hoping for making a comeback after it was relegated to the third spot in the 2017 assembly polls.

The stakes are high for the Congress which is looking to retain power in Punjab. It announced Charanjit Singh Channi as the CM face and was hoping for the consolidation of the Scheduled Caste votes. Punjab has nearly 32 per cent Scheduled Caste population. The Congress, a dominant player in state politics, also banked on various decisions like reducing electricity tariff, slashing fuel prices, taken during Channi's 111-day tenure. 

The SAD and the Congress have alternatively been forming the government after the reorganistaion of Punjab in 1966. 

The AAP has sought to project itself as an agent of change and designed its poll campaign in such a way that the people vote for 'badlav' (change) as it targeted the traditional political parties for “looting” the state. It also announced its CM face ahead of polls to give clarity to voters. 

The BJP has said that it will make impressive gains while former chief minister Amarinder Singh has said that this party, the Punjab Lok Congress, and the BJP have done well in the elections. 

AAP's chief ministerial face and state unit head Bhagwant Mann has also expressed confidence that his party would form the next government in the state. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Badal had claimed that his party, which fought elections in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party, would win over 80 seats. 

Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP has emerged as a major contender in Punjab. AAP had won 20 seats in the 2017 Assembly polls, securing the Opposition's position in the Legislative Assembly. 

Though various exit polls predicted that the Congress would not be able to form the government for the second time in a row, Punjab Congress leaders have insisted that their party would secure victory. 

Counting of votes will start at 8 am at 117 centres in 66 locations. A total of 1,304 candidates, including 93 women and two transgenders, were in the fray.