According to initial trends, Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi, Navjot Singh Sidhu and ex-CM Amarinder Singh were trailing in their seats
Navjot Singh Sidhu. File Pic
Several political stalwarts and senior leaders, including Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal, former chief minister Amarinder Singh and Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, were trailing in their respective assembly constituencies in Punjab, according to initial trends in the counting of votes.
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Besides, Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, former Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa, SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia and former union minister Vijay Sampla were also behind their nearest rivals. The Aam Aadmi Party appeared to be heading for a clean sweep, having taken a big lead in 88 of the 117 seats in Punjab.
Counting of votes for 117 assembly seats in Punjab began at 8 am on Thursday amid tight security arrangements. Five-time chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, who was seeking re-election from his home turf Lambi, was trailing behind his nearest rival and AAP candidate Gurmeet Singh Khudian by a margin of 4,385 votes. At 94, Badal is the country's oldest candidate to fight elections.
Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi was trailing from the two seats he contested -- Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur. AAP candidate Labh Singh Ugoke was leading from the Bhadaur seat, which is part of the politically significant Malwa region. Channi was also trailing from his home constituency Chamkaur Sahib which he represented thrice. AAP nominee Charanjit Singh is leading from Chamkaur Sahib seat by a margin of 1,438 votes. 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.
SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal is also trailing from his home turf Jalalabad in Fazilka district. AAP candidate Jagdeep Kamboj is leading from Jalalabad by a margin of 5,017 votes. In Lehra seat, AAP candidate Barinder Kumar Goyal was leading over SAD (Sanyukt) candidate Parminder Singh Dhindsa by a margin of 22,862 votes. Former Chief Minister and Congress leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal who was also fighting from Lehra was trailing.
Former Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa was trailing in the Qadian assembly seat from where SAD candidate Guriqbal Singh Mahal was leading by 141 votes. Former Union minister and BJP candidate Vijay Sampla was trailing in Phagwara seat. BSP candidate Jasvir Singh Garhi is leading over his nearest rival and Congress candidate Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal in Phagwara seat by a margin of 1,493 votes.
Several party hoppers including Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, Fateh Jang Singh Bajwa and Anil Joshi were trailing from their respective constituencies in Punjab, according to poll trends. The Aam Aadmi Party was leading in 89 out of total 117 assembly seats in Punjab.
Ahead of the assembly polls, several leaders had switched sides. Former sports minister Sodhi had quit the Congress and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party and contested from Ferozepur City seat. Sodhi, a four-time MLA from Guruharsahai in Ferozepur, was trailing from Ferozepur seat, the trends showed. AAP candidate Ranbir Singh was leading from Ferozepur City over his nearest rival and Congress candidate Parminder Singh Pinki.
Former Congress leader Bajwa, who had joined the BJP, and fought from Batala seat was trailing. Aam Aadmi Party candidate Amansher Singh is leading from Batala seat over his nearest rival and Congress candidate Ashwani Sekhri, according to trends. Fateh Jang Bajwa was a sitting legislator from Qadian seat from where the Congress fielded his elder brother and Rajya Sabha member Partap Singh Bajwa. Former Punjab minister Joshi, who quit the BJP and joined the SAD last year, contested from Amritsar North assembly seat.
AAP candidate and former IPS officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh was leading over Joshi from Amritsar North seat. Joshi had remained legislator from the Amritsar North seat in 2007 and 2012 on the BJP ticket. He faced defeat in the 2017 Assembly polls. Former Congress leader Harjot Kamal, who too had joined the BJP, fought from Moga assembly seat. Kamal left the Congress after the party denied him the ticket from Moga. From Moga seat, AAP candidate Amandeep Kaur Arora was leading over her nearest rival and Congress candidate Malvika Sood Sachar, who is sister of actor Sonu Sood.
Former Punjab minister and three-time MLA Joginder Singh Mann, who joined the AAP after snapping his 50-year-old ties with the Congress, fought from Phagwara seat. However, Congress candidate Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal was leading over BSP nominee Jasvir Singh Garhi from Phagwara seat. Sukhjinder Raj Singh Lali Majithia, who joined the AAP after leaving the Congress, tried his luck from Majitha assembly segment. SAD candidate Ganieve Kaur Majithia is leading from Majithia assembly segment.
Raman Bahl, who left the Congress last year and joined the AAP, fought from Gurdaspur seat. SAD candidate Gurbachan Singh Babehali was leading over Congress candidate and sitting MLA Barindermeet Singh Pahra from Gurdaspur seat.
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