Punjab assembly elections live: Charanjit Channi loses from both seats
In a major setback to Congress, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has lost the assembly election from both seats he contested from. Channi, who became the CM in September 2021, contested from the Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur seats. In both seats, he was defeated by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates. The party is set to sweep the elections with a thumping victory.
In Bhadaur, Channi got just a little more than 23,000 votes, while AAP's Labh Singh Ugoke got over 57,000 votes. In Chamkaur Sahib, Channi got around 50,000 votes, while his nearest rival, Aam Aadmi Party's Charanjit Singh, received over 54,000 votes.
Punjab Congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was also in the race to be the party's chief minister face for the state, has accepted defeat. "The voice of the people is the voice of God .... Humbly accept the mandate of the people of Punjab .... Congratulations to Aap !!!," he tweeted. Notably, Sidhu also lost to AAP's Jeevan Jyot Kaur from Amritsar East.
Humbly accept the people’s verdict. Best wishes to those who have won the mandate.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 10, 2022
My gratitude to all Congress workers and volunteers for their hard work and dedication.
We will learn from this and keep working for the interests of the people of India.
Counting for the Punjab assembly elections began at 8 am on Thursday. AAP is leading in a majority of seats in Punjab, with Bhagwant Mann set to become the next chief minister of the state. Mann--who won from the Dhuri Assembly constituency--thanked the people of Punjab in his maiden speech and said he will work to bring Punjab back on the development track.
