In an evenly-fought battle for 116 seats, the Akali Dal-BJP alliance bagged 66 seats in the new Assembly whereas the Congress won only 44.
CHANDIGARH: Tuesday belonged to Akali Dal leader Parkash Sigh Badal as the Akali Dal-BJP alliance bounced back to power dethroning the Congress government led by Captain Amarinder Singh in Punjab.
In an evenly-fought battle for 116 seats, the Akali Dal-BJP alliance bagged 66 seats in the new Assembly whereas the Congress won only 44.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh submitted his resignation as the alliance members would hold a meeting here on Wednesday to formally elect Parkash Singh Badal as their leader to take over as the next CM.
The BJP’s emergence as a major group in the state Assembly has been one of the biggest surprises of the election as almost 85 per cent of its candidates romped back victorious. Of its 23 candidates, 19 won, thereby lending a crucial support to the Akali Dal. To match the Congress’s strength of 44 members, the Akali Dal could manage only 47 seats for itself making it an even battle for the two main rivals.
According to observers, the BJP’s overwhelming victory clearly indicates a decisive tilt by urban voters against the Congress as many of its stalwarts lost to small time alliance candidates.
Surprisingly, the Congress bagged 36 of 65 seats in the Malwa region, a traditional citadel of the Akali Dal.
In his reaction to the results, the CM Amarinder Singh expressed surprise over the manner urban voters had turned their back on the Congress. He said the Congress’s gain among farmers happened on expected lines, but the party’s rejection by urban voters has “left us baffled”.
Akali Dal general secretary Sukhbir Singh Badal, termed the results as the “defeat of a dictator”. He said people in Punjab have voted for progressive economic policies projected by the alliance.
According to BJP state president Avinash Rai Khanna, people in Punjab have given their referendum against the UPA government and its policies.
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