Punjab polls: AAP takes big lead; CM Channi trailing in both seats

Chandigarh, Mar 10: 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.