AAP emerging as single largest party in Punjab

Arvind Kejriwal

Punjab is likely to witness a hung Assembly, with AAP emerging as the single largest party in the state in the 2022 state polls, as per the ABP-CVoter-IANS opinion poll. The battle for the throne of Punjab is between INC and AAP. Erstwhile NDA composed of BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal is no more in contention for power in 2022.

Incumbent Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is facing strong anti-incumbency. In the latest round of opinion poll conducted in the state, while 64.8 per cent of the respondents said they were dissatisfied with the performance of the sitting Chief Minister, only 12.6 per cent of those interviewed stated that they were satisfied and 19.0 said they were satisfied to some extent with his performance. A strong anti-incumbency sentiment is prevalent not only against the sitting Chief Minister but with the overall Congress government in the state as 60.8 per cent of the respondents expressed strong dissatisfaction with the performance of the state government.

Similarly, majority of the respondents, 51 per cent, expressed dissatisfaction with the sitting MLAs of their constituencies. This anti-incumbency sentiment combined with non-ending feud between Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and PCC chief Navjyot Singh Sidhu has created an opening for the AAP to rise as the main challenger. As things stand today, while Congress is projected to win a 28.8 per cent vote share in Punjab, AAP is projected to grab 35.1 per cent votes, SAD is projected to secure 21.8 per cent votes and BJP is projected to win 7.3 per cent vote share.

Translated into seats, there is a possibility of hung house in Punjab Assembly 2022. AAP could be the single largest party as the party is projected to grab 51 to 57 seats. Congress may finish a strong second by winning 38 to 46 seats, SADl is likely to grab 16 to 24 seats and BJP may notch 0 to 1 seats. The total strength of Punjab assembly is 117 seats. The strong anti-incumbency against Amarinder Singh is also reflected in the fact that only 17.9 per cent of the respondents consider him as the most preferred choice for the post of Chief Minister.

The survey revealed that AAP does not have a credible face from Punjab, who can be projected as Chief Minister of the party. While 21.6 per cent of the respondents said that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is their preferred choice, only 16.1 per cent consider Bhagwant Mann, AAP's face in Punjab, as the preferred choice for the top job in the state, and 18.8 per cent stated that Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Badal was their most preferred choice.

People of Punjab want development: AAP

Responding to the survey, AAP on Saturday said the people of Punjab were upset over the non-fulfilment of promises made by CM Amarinder Singh during 2017 elections and would give a befitting reply in 2022 by forming the AAP government in the state. It stated that impressed by the work done by the Kejriwal-led Delhi government, people of Punjab want to form an AAP government in order to develop the state.

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