The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was on track for a landslide win in Punjab, with early trends on March 10 indicating a sweep for the party in the border state, where it was disappointed with its performance five years ago.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led party was ahead in 88 of the 117 assembly seats in early leads as counting of votes was on for Punjab and four other states.
As the early leads came in, supporters erupted in celebration at the residence of party’s chief ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann. Mann was leading from his seat in Dhuri.
The ruling Congress, which changed chief minister (CM) at the fag-end of the term, was way behind AAP, leading only in 14 seats.
CM Charanjit Singh Channi was trailing from both Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur seats.
State Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, who took on the leadership and was instrumental in Captain Amarinder Singh quitting as the CM and the party, was trailing from Amritsar East when reports last came in.
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Voting was held on February 20 in Punjab, which saw a multi-corner contest for the first time in decades. Before 2022, the state usually used to see a direct contest between the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Congress.
The Shiromani Akali Dal, which snapped ties with the BJP over the three farmer laws, looked deep in trouble. Party patriarch and former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal was trailing from SAD bastion of Lambi.
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