Exit polls in Punjab shows the Aam Aadmi Party would win the most seats in the state. ETG Research's poll shows the Aam Aadmi Party winning 70-75 seats in the 117-seat assembly. India Today's poll shows Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's party winning anywhere between 76 and 90 seats.
While the counting of votes is yet to take place and people’s final mandate is still to be declared, the exit polls have raised the expectations of the common man by projecting their third choice the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a probable winner of the Punjab Legislative Assembly elections.
The exit poll result puts the incumbent Congress at second spot with the likelihood of winning 19-31 seats or 23 per cent of votes. The BJP alliance, which includes former chief minister Amarinder Singh's Punjab Lok Congress, is likely to win one to four seats or 7 per cent votes. The Shrimoni Akali Dal is predicted to secure 18 per cent votes or seven to 11 seats in the Punjab Assembly.
Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body of farmers, campaigned against the ruling BJP by organizing public meetings and rallies asking farmers to not vote for BJP. SKM had organised the 2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest against the controversial three farm acts which were passed by the BJP-led Union Government in the BJP controlled Parliament of India in September 2020.
These laws were eventually withdrawn by the Union government; however, the entire episode has clearly hurt the BJP's electoral prospects in Punjab (slim though they were to begin with).
Here's a look at the constituencies which are fiercely contested, and hence too close to call:
AMRITSAR (EAST): In what is being seen as the mother of all battles, Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu faces senior Akali leader Bikramjit Singh Majithia who was booked in a drugs case ahead of polls.
BHADAUR: Congress’ chief ministerial face Charanjit Singh Channi has fought from two seats Chamkaur Sahib as well as Bhadaur seats. The Malwa region in which Bhadaur falls is AAP citadel and the Bhadaur seat, a stronghold of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). This seat has been won only twice by Congress since 1967.
BATHINDA (URBAN): Even as the sitting Congress legislator Manpreet Singh Badal has fought for his sixth win as a legislator, it is the first time that the Bathinda (urban) assembly constituency witnessed a four-corner contest.
JALANDHAR (CENTRAL): BJP veteran Manoranjan Kalia and his enemy number one and Congress’ sitting legislator Rajinder Beri face each other, once again.
AMRITSAR (NORTH): Sitting Congress MLA Sunil Dutti worked overtime to retain his Amritsar (north) assembly the seat, though faces a stiff fight from SAD and AAP.
BHOLUTH: Firebrand Congress leader and two-time MLA Sukhpal Khair fight three- time MLA Bibi Jagir Kaur, who was the first woman president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC – a powerful organisation that is responsible for the management of gurdwaras).
SAMRALA: Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal has fought Congress candidate in latter’s strong- hold; It is the first time a farmers’ outfit, Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM) is in the fray.
MOHALI: The richest candidate of AAP, Kulwant Singh, has challenged the three-time Congress MLA Balbir Singh here.
MALERKOTLA: The Malerkotla constituency which is the only Muslim- dominated seat in Punjab has wives of Punjab’s two former DGPs fighting each other for the second time.
PATHANKOT: The Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma faces a stiff triangular contest with sitting Congress legislator Amit Vij as well as AAP’s Vibhuti Sharma in BJP stronghold.
PHAGWARA: The BJP’s former Union minister Vijay Sampla faces a stiff contest from his rivals as well as the infighting within the saffron party this election.
FPJ Photo
FPJ Photo
