Punjab Elections Result 2022: CM Charanjit Singh Channi loses from both Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur seats

Punjab Elections Result 2022: Chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi has lost from Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur, the two assembly seats from which he was contesting the assembly elections. Channi has represented Chamkaur Sahib in the assembly for three terms since 2007.

Punjab Elections Result 2022: Counting is on in 117 Assembly constituencies in Punjab and chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi has lost both the seats from Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur. Channi has represented Chamkaur Sahib in the assembly for three terms since 2007.  In Bhadaur, Aam Aadmi Party's Labh Singh Ugoke won over Channi. In Chamkaur Sahib, Channi lost to his closest rival from Aam Aadmi Party, also a Charanjit Singh, with a margin of over 7000 seats.

Channi earlier visited Shri Katalgarh Chamkaur Sahib Gurudwara in Ropar to offer prayers and seek blessings. Hopeful of forming government in Punjab, as predicted by various exit polls, Aam Aadmi Party Chief Ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann also visited Gursagar Mastuana Sahib Gurdwara in Sangrur.

Mann's residence in Dhuri was seen decorated with flowers and Jalebis are being prepared at his residence in Sangrur.While Bhagwant Mann is contesting from the Dhuri, Channi is contesting from two seats - Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur. If AAP wins Punjab, it will be the party's maiden victory in the state and a vast improvement from its performance in the 2017 elections when it had finished second behind Congress. Congress went into the polls having battled factionalism and anti-incumbency. 

The party changed its chief minister in September last year even as new Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu hinted about his own chief ministerial ambitions. The Congress finally declared Charanjit Singh Channi, the first Dalit Chief Minister of Punjab, as its chief ministerial candidate days before the polling on February 20. The Shiromani Akali Dal, which had broken off its alliance with BJP over three farm laws that were eventually repealed, tied up with Bahujan Samaj Party for the assembly elections.

It is the first time that BJP fought over 65 seats in Punjab. It tied up with former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh's Punjab Lok Congress and SAD (Sanyukt) led by SS Dhindsa. BJP leaders have talked of putting up a strong performance in the polls.Punjab recorded an average voter turnout of 65.50 per cent on February 20 compared to over 77 per cent in 2017.In the 117-member Punjab Assembly, the majority mark is 59. Most exit polls on Monday predicted a victory for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab with the scale of the party`s victory varying across various surveys.