The polling for Assembly elections 2017, after two term tenure of SAD-BJP alliance in Punjab, was held on February 4, to elect the 117 members of the Punjab Legislative Assembly, he results which will be announced on March 11.
The current ruling pre-election coalition is alliance comprising the political parties - Shiromani Akali Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party, led by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
The right to franchise during the elections was available for 1.05 crore male and 94 lakh female totaling 1.9 crore. The voting turnout for Punjab Assembly elections was 78.6 percent .
In between, 2014 general election was held in Punjab for 13 parliamentary constituencies. SAD and AAP won 4 seats each, Congress won 3 and 2 constituencies elected BJP candidates.
Punjab stands divided in three Regions for 117 seats – Malwa 69, Majha 25, Doaba 23 and the district wise seats were as Ludhiana14, Amritsar11, Jalandhar 9, Patiala 8, Gurdaspur7, Hoshiarpur 7, Sangrur 7, Bathinda 6, Fazilka 4, Ferozepur 4, Kapurthala 4, Moga 4, Muktsar 4, Tarn Taran 4, Barnala 3, Farikot 3, Fatehgarh Shib 3, Mnsa 3, Nawanshahr 3, Pthankot 3, Rup Nagar 3, SAS Nagar 3.
Congress, AAP and BSP has contested on all the 117 seats while SAD on 94 and BJP on 23 seats during the Punjab Legislative Assembly election, 2017 and in all, 1,145 candidates including the candidates of national and state political parties, were in fray.
During the elections, the first and foremost issue was drug peddling besides issues like unemployment and lack of skills, farmer’s crisis, continually failing economy, unbridled crime and the rle of goons in day today matters of the citizens, road rage and accidents, atrocities against Dalits, 1984 Sikh riots and supply of drugs and addiction.
However, this time with the entry of new party AAP on all the seats, NRIs played a major role in these elections.
With approaching to dera to seek their support in the elections, for which a separate issue is being probed by the SGPC which prohibits deras and any physical form of the gurus, is likely to prove very crucial in deciding the eventual winners with influence in more than 56 Assembly Constituencies. The biggest dera of Punjab, however, is Dera Radha Soami Beas. With a following of approximately 70 lakh people, Dera Sacha Sauda is reported to have great influence in the Malwa region. But the BJP is contesting on just three seats — Fazilka, Ferozpur and Abohar in the Malwa. The Dera was said to have supported the SAD in 1998 elections and later the Congress.
Akalis have been trying to woo the Dera Sacha Sauda for more than a year now. Reportedly it was on Akalis initiative that the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs pardoned Dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insan in September 2015 who had been accused of hurting Sikh religious sentiments by wearing an attire allegedly similar to Guru Gobind Singh. Dera head did not even appear at the Akal Takht but only sent a letter seeking pardon.
Akalis are generally averse to seeking support from of the Deras as they are considered to be anti-panth, and yet Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son and Deputy Chief Minister Sikhbir Singh Badal have been making round of Radha Soami.
AAP and Congress both have pitched itself as the alternative to the Akalis and the voters aged between 18 and 40 years will be deciding factor in these elections. The ‘Flying Birds’ after the elections have said, majority of the voters were in the mood of changing the government.
During last 2012 elections, in 117 constituencies, 1078 (985 male, 93 female)contestants were in fray who tried their luck with 1.77,64,755 crore electors. Out of this, 1,38,92,784 voted and the polling was 78.20%. In the final results – BJP won 12, Independent 3, Congress 46 and SAD 56 candidates.
Anyhow, count-down has started for the counting of polled votes on the EVMs, to declare the final verdict of the voters, on March 11, 2017.
Over to March 11.
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HARISH MONGA, Feature Writer
harishmongadido@gmail.com
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