As the exit polls had predicted, the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance started on a weak note, as counting for Punjab Assembly election 2017 began on Saturday morning. Early trends show the Congress is leading in 42 seats, while AAP is ahead in 16 seats, reported NDTV. However, incumbent Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is leading from the Lambi seat.
Punjab, which had its Assembly polls on February 4, had recorded a voter turnout of 70% for its 117 seats. Around 1.98 crore voters chose from 1,145 candidates. The three major issues leading up to the polls were the agricultural crisis, unemployment and a massive drug menace. While the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance tried to combat anti-incumbency waves by highlighting the legacy of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, the Congress and Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party had sought to use the public anger against the Akali rulers.
The state has had a SAD-BJP alliance leading them for 10 years now. The exit polls had predicted a hung Assembly in the state. The average of exit polls suggests both Congress and AAP will do well, without hitting the 59-seat mark needed to form government. However, all the exit polls had predicted a complete wipe out of the ruling SAD-BJP alliance.
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Here are the updates as the votes come in:
9.29 am: AAP still confident that these trends will change in Punjab, Attorney Bharti told NDTV.
9.19 am: Congress is leading in 42 seats in Punjab while the SAD-BJP alliance is ahead in 10 seats.
9.01 am: Congress candidate Captain Amarinder Singh leading by 3,500 votes from Patiala seat.
8.57 am: Trends show the Congress is leading in 24 seats while the AAP is ahead in seven seats. The ruling SAD-BJP alliance is leading in five seats.
8.47 am: Early trends show the SAD-BJP alliance and the AAP are leading in one seat each.
8.33 am: Parkash Singh Badal leading from Lambi Assembly seat. Congress chief ministerial candidate Captain Amarinder Singh is at second spot followed by AAP’s Jarnail Singh.
8.21 am: Postal ballots are being counted first.
8 am: Counting begins amid tight security arrangements.
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