Punjab assembly election results 2022: CM Charanjit Singh Channi, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Amarinder Singh, Bikram Singh Majithia trail in early trends

Chandigarh: Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP was headed for a big win in Punjab as the counting for assembly elections 2022 began on Thursday. In early trends, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, state Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu and Punjab Lok Congress leader Amarinder Singh are trailing from Chamkur Sahib, Amritsar East, and Patiala seats respectively.

As per the Election Commission of India, Aam Aadmi Party`s candidate Charanjit Singh is leading with 8785 votes followed by Congress candidate and incumbent CM Charanjit Singh Channi on 6852 votes on Chamkaur Sahib seat as per trends at 10.50 am.

On the Bhadaur seat also Channi is trailing behind Aam Aadmi Party`s candidate Labh Singh Ugoke. On the Amritsar East seat, Aam Aadmi Party candidate Jeevan Jyot Kaur is leading with 3058 votes followed by Shiromani Akali Dal`s candidate Bikram Singh Majithia with 2468 votes and Congress` Navjot Singh Sidhu on 2091 votes.

On former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh`s Patiala seat, Aam Aadmi Party’s Ajit Pal Singh Kohli is leading with 12,693 votes followed by Singh with 4926 votes. The early trends show that the AAP in Punjab has crossed the halfway mark Punjab.

It is leading on 89 seats, followed by Congress (15) and SAD (9). 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 The Shiromani Akali Dal, which had broken off its alliance with BJP over three farm laws that were eventually repealed, tied up with Bahujan Samaj Party for the assembly elections.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.