SAD-BJP likely to emerge as largest party in Punjab, may win 50-58 seats followed by Congress; AAP number three: Survey

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Delhi: A pre-election survey has shown SAD-BJP combine emerging as the top party in upcoming Punjab Assembly elections.

According to Lokniti-ABP News survey, in the 117-member Assembly, the BJP-SAD alliance may win 50-58 seats, a few seats short of a simple majority.

On the other hand, Congress is likely to bag 41-49 seats and AAP may bag 12-18 seats and come third.

Following are some of the findings of the survey:

- 34 percent of voters indicated SAD-BJP as their preference, 31 percent respondents said Congress and 21 percent chose AAP.

- SAD-BJP combine was shown to be leading in two out of three regions of the state as per the survey with SAD+ leading with 33 percent of the vote in Malwa (Congress - 28 percent and AAP+ - 26 percent).

- In Majha, Congress narrowly leads the Akali-BJP combine by three points as of now.

- In Doaba, Congress trails SAD+ by four points.

- As per the survey, AAP is likely to get 17 percent votes in Doaba and 10 percent in Majha.

- 85 percent respondents said that drug addiction problem was a very serious issue.

- Two-thirds of the 85 percent who said drug addiction problem was a very serious, split their votes almost evenly between Congress and SAD-BJP.

- The Congress was the choice of 25 percent of respondents when it came to solving the problem of drugs. It was followed by AAP at 17 percent and SAD-BJP at 14 percent.

- The survey found Amarinder Singh to be the most spontaneous preference of voters for the post of CM with 29 percent backing him.

- Meanwhile, 20 percent people backed Prakash Singh Badal and AAP’s Bhagwant Mann was the choice of 8 percent people. Four percent said Arvind Kejriwal.

- Interestingly, the survey found 43% of the voters see the AAP as being a spoiler while 34% thought Kejriwal’s AAP was a strong contender in Punjab and could possibly win the Assembly elections.

Assembly elections in UP, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur will be held between February 4 and March 8.

While polling will be spread over seven phases in Uttar Pradesh, it will be a one-day affair in Uttarakhand, Punjab and Goa, and a two-day exercise in Manipur.

The whole electoral process will begin with the issue of notification for polls in Punjab and Goa on January 11.

Counting of votes will be taken up together in all the states on March 11, the Election Commission announced on Wednesday.