With 7 seats, Cong wins most in Punjab but its vote share dips

Amid claims of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann that the ruling AAP will make it 13-0 by winning all seats and opposition Congress mocking it, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) could win only three seats.

The Congress’ performance in Punjab is set to arm the party with more cannon fodder to question the governance of AAP, which stormed to power in the State in February 2022 elections by winning 92 Assembly seats out of total 117 seats.

While three party heavyweights fielded by Congress won their elections, one ended up losing. While former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi registered a landslide victory with a margin of 1,75,993 votes from Jalandhar, Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring won from Ludhiana and former deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa from Gurdaspur.

Warring, the Gidderbaha MLA, was fielded from Ludhiana to take on three-time Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu who quit Congress to contest the polls on BJP ticket. Warring defeated Bittu by a margin of 20942 votes.

Another Congress heavyweight Sukhpal Singh Khaira, however, faced defeat in Sangrur where AAP Cabinet minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer won by a margin of 1,72,560 votes. A staunch critic of CM Mann and AAP government in the state, Khaira who is Bholath MLA was fielded from Sangrur, the pocket borough of CM Mann.

The two sitting Congress MPs Gurjeet Singh Aujla and Dr Amar Singh were re-elected from respective constituencies of Amritsar and Fatehgarh Sahib. While Aujla defeated Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal of AAP by 40301 votes, Amar Singh won by a margin of 34202 votes, defeating Gurpreet Singh GP of AAP who had quit Congress to join AAP.

Former AAP MP Dharamvira Gandhi who had joined Congress in the run up to polls won from Patiala, defeating Balbir Singh of AAP by a margin of 14,831 votes.

Two-time Akali Dal MP Sher Singh Ghubaya who had unsuccessfully contested 2019 Lok Sabha polls on Congress ticket, won the seat for Congress this time. He won by a margin of 3242 votes in a close contest with Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar of AAP. Ghubaya had lost to Sukhbir Singh Badal in 2019 who did not contest this time.

Leader of the opposition Partap Singh Bajwa in a post on X said, “I have told before the elections that the people of Punjab will commend Congress for its consistent efforts in supporting farmers and uplifting socially and economically disadvantaged communities. The land of the Gurus embraces the message of social harmony, and Congress has always been aligned with these values.”

I have told before the elections that the people of Punjab will commend Congress for its consistent efforts in supporting farmers and uplifting socially and economically disadvantaged communities. The land of the Gurus embraces the message of social harmony, and Congress has…

— Partap Singh Bajwa (@Partap_Sbajwa) June 4, 2024

While Warring, who hails from Muktsar district, but contested from Ludhiana and Channi who hails from Ropar district, but contested from Jalandhar registered the victories, Khaira who was fielded from Sangrur, away from his home turf, and Vijay Inder Singla who traces his roots to Sangrur and is former Sangrur MP but fielded from Anandpur Sahib, lost from the respective constituencies.

The only turncoat who won a seat in Punjab was Raj Kumar Chabbewal who won on AAP ticket from Hoshiarpur. Chabbewal, who had quit Congress to join AAP and contest the polls, defeated Yamini Gomar of Congress.

Congress candidate from Khadoor Sahib Kulbir Singh Zira finished second in the constituency where independent candidate Amritpal Singh won by a massive margin of 1,97,120 votes, the highest winning margin on any seat in the state.

Congress candidates Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu and Amarjit Kaur Sahoke finished third in Bathinda and Faridkot, respectively.