AAP's landslide buries several political stalwarts in Punjab

Ahead of elections the Congress, which was also battling with internal discord in the party had bated on the Dalit face Charanjit Singh Channi but Mr Channi is trailing from both the constituencies he contested from - Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur. While party's state unit boss Navjot Singh Sidhu - was also trailing, as counting of votes entered the third hour on Thursday. If Congress gets defeated in the state Rahul Gandhi's decision will come under the scrutiny.

Punjab: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is surging towards a landslide victory in Punjab while the state’s traditional parties Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) are staring at a rout, according to initial trends of the assembly poll results on the Election Commission website.

Ahead of elections, the Congress, which was also battling with internal discord in the party had betted on the Dalit face Charanjit Singh Channi but Channi is trailing from both the constituencies he contested from - Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur. While party's state unit boss Navjot Singh Sidhu - was also trailing, as counting of votes entered the third hour on Thursday. If Congress gets defeated in the state Rahul Gandhi's decision will come under scrutiny.

This time, Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal faced the twin challenge of keeping the party united and saving it from rebellion. 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. Badal's son Sukhbir Singh Badal, who contesting from Jalalabad for the fourth time is also trailing behind.

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 the Fazilka district. AAP candidate Jagdeep Kamboj is leading from Jalalabad by a margin of 5,017 votes.

In Lehra's 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 were 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 were trailing in the Phagwara seat. BSP candidate Jasvir Singh Garhi is leading over his nearest rival and Congress candidate Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal in the Phagwara seat by a margin of 1,493 votes.

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.
(With agency inputs)