PM, Sonia made no impact in Punjab polls

Chandigarh, Feb 27 (UNI) Some heaveyweight campaigning by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi notwithstanding, the Congress failed to fare well in Punjab assembly elections, particularly in the Majha and Doaba regions where they separately addressed four rallies.

The Prime Minister began his election tour from his home town of Amritsar, where the Congress won just one of the four city seats.

The party even lost the Verka (reserve), Attari (reserve), Jandiala (reserve) and Majitha seats bordering the Holy City.

Dr Singh during his election meeting in Amritsar had in particular appealed to the electorate to vote for Finance minister Surinder Singla in the Amritsar Parliamentary bypoll. However Singla was defeated by BJP's star candidate Navjot Singh Sidhu by over 77,000 votes.

Dr Singh's visit also did not have any impact in Jalandhar, where the party lost all the four city seats to the SAD-BJP. Even party stalwart Avtar Henry lost from Jalandhar North to first timer K D Bhandari (BJP).

The Prime Minister also visited Ludhiana, where the Congress also lost all the four city seats fo the SAD-BJP alliance. However Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh won from Patiala, where the Dr Singh addressed his last rally.

On the other hand the Congress lost both the Jandiala (reserve) and Phagwara (reserve) seats, where Ms Sonia Gandhi addressed poll meetings. Ms Gandhi had to suspend second leg of her campaign in Punjab due to inclement weather. During the second leg she was to visit Sirhind, where SAD candidate emerged victorious and Rampura Phul where the Congress nominee has won.

UNI