While the Congress has lost its stake and position in Punjab with Aam Aadmi Party sweeping the assembly elections in the state, the grand old party on the day of counting of votes blamed former chief minister Amarinder Singh's government for its defeat in the polls.
According to news agency PTI, the Congress party in a statement said, "In Punjab, we failed to overcome anti-incumbency of 4.5 yrs of Amarinder Singh govt, people voted for change."
Punjab witnessed a multi-cornered contest this time with Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiromani Akali Dal-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance, and the coalition of Bharatiya Janata Party-former chief minister Amarinder Singh's Punjab Lok Congress party as key players.
The Aam Aadmi Party crossed the halfway mark in Punjab, winning 59 seats and leading in 33, according to the poll results declared by the Election Commission so far. In the 117-member Assembly, a party needs to get 59 seats to form the government.
Congress went into the polls, battling factionalism and anti-incumbency. The party changed its Chief Minister in September last year even as the party's new state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu hinted about his own chief ministerial ambitions. Congress finally declared Charanjit Singh Channi as the first Dalit Chief Minister of Punjab, endorsing him for the chief ministerial face days before the polling on February 20.
The Shiromani Akali Dal, which had broken off the alliance with the BJP over the three farm laws that were eventually repealed, tied up with Bahujan Samaj Party for the Assembly elections.
It is the first time that the BJP fought on 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.Punjab recorded an average voter turnout of 65.50 per cent on February 20 compared to over 77 per cent in 2017.
As AAP is set to win 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.
(with agency inputs)
