AAP takes big lead in Punjab in early trends; CM Channi trailing in both seats

PTI, Mar 10, 2022, 10:13 AM IST

The Aam Aadmi Party took a big lead in Punjab and was ahead in 79 seats out of 117 with several heavyweights, including Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, trailing behind its nominees in many seats, according to early trends.

Channi was trailing in both Chamakur Sahib and Bhadaur seats.

Former chief ministers Parkash Singh Badal, Amarinder Singh and Rajinder Kaur Bhattal were also trailing.

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal was also behind in his Jalalabad seat.

According to data for 107 seats available on the Election Commission website at 9.50 am, the AAP was leading in 79 seats, Congress in 16, SAD in seven, BJP in three, and BSP and Independent one each.

Counting of votes for 117 assembly seats in Punjab began on Thursday amid tight security arrangements.

Among the seats from where AAP was leading included Lambi, Patiala Urban, Lehra, Anandpur Sahib, Batala, Attari, Bathinda Urban, Dasuya, Dera Bassi, Dharamkot, Dina Nagar, Dirba, Ferozepur Rural and Gill.

Notably, SAD patriarch and sitting MLA Parkash Singh Badal was trailing behind his nearest AAP rival Gurmeet Singh Khudian by 1,416 votes in Lambi.

In Patiala Urban, where Punjab Lok Congress chief and former CM Amarinder Singh is the sitting MLA, AAP candidate Ajit Pal Singh Kohli was leading by a margin of 3,575 votes.

In Lehra, AAP candidate Barinder Kumar Goyal was leading over SAD (Sanyukt) candidate Parminder Singh Dhindsa.

Among the seats from where Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was leading included Banga, Bholath and Dakha.

The Congress was leading from seats including Chabewal and Pathankot, while the BJP is ahead from Mukerian seat.

In Pathankot, Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma was trailing behind his nearest rival Amit Vij, the sitting Congress MLA.

Uttarakhand election result updates

The BJP was ahead of the Congress in Uttarakhand with its party candidates leading in 26 seats on Thursday, according to early trends available.

According to data available on the Election Commission website at 10:10 AM am for 48 seats, the Congress was ahead in 18 seats, BSP in two seats, the Uttarakhand Janekta party and independent in one each.

The polling was held in the state on February 14 with more than 65 per cent of the electorate casting their votes.

The ruling BJP is seeking a second consecutive term in office this time, something which has never happened in the state’s 21-year history.

Routed in the 2017 assembly polls with a tally of 11 seats against the BJP’s 57, the Congress is trying to stage a comeback.

Prominent candidates who contested the polls are Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, his cabinet colleagues Satpal Maharaj, Bansidhar Bhagat, Subodh Uniyal, Arvind Pandey, Dhan Singh Rawat and Rekha Arya, besides state BJP president Madan Kaushik.

Important Congress leaders whose fate will be decided include former chief minister Harish Rawat, former minister Yashpal Arya, state Congress president Ganesh Godiyal and Leader of Opposition in the fourth assembly Pritam Singh.

Goa election result updates

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was trailing behind the Congress candidate in Goa’s Sankahlim seat on Thursday, as per the latest trends.

Congress candidate Dharmesh Saglani was leading over BJP leader Sawant by 446 votes, as per the Election Commission of India’s website.

Counting of votes for 40 seats in Goa is currently underway.