SAD veteran leader Parkash Singh Badal congratulated Amarinder Singh on Congress’ win on Saturday.
He said that his party will extend its cooperate with regard to matters related to Punjab.
Badal, who will submit his resignation to the Governor on Sunday, said that the party will call for a core meeting to discuss the issues that lead to SAD’s defeat in the state.
Addressing the media after the Congress gained 75 out of the 117 Assembly seats, veteran leader Amarinder Singh thanked Punjab’s voters for the big win. The state party chief won from Patiala (urban) seat by over 51,000 votes.
He hit out at Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP saying it has “no leadership”.
“In my political career, I’ve seen many third fronts come forward, but people tilt towards one party. Arvind Kejriwal was like a summer storm which came and went.”
Singh said that he will meet Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi soon and recommend names for his government’s cabinet ministers.
The government’s priority will be the drugs issue plaguing Punjab.
Stating other issues on his agenda, he said: “People want access to good education, employment, setting up of industries and I hope the Union Government will recognise the demands of Punjab.”
Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has declared his party’s victory by calling it “gift to Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Amarinder Singh”.
“People destroyed their pride of the wrong,” Sidhu said lashing out at the Badals.
“This is the revival of the Congress and it is only the beginning. The party will spread from here,” he added.
@TheQuint outside Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence. pic.twitter.com/v8yZD6wZ9o
— Hansa Malhotra (@hansamalhotra16) March 11, 2017
#BREAKING -- CNN-News18 calls #Punjab elections in favour of @INCIndia #ResultsWithNews18 pic.twitter.com/3pTbfBEV79
— News18 (@CNNnews18) March 11, 2017
Congress’ Navjot Singh Sidhu ahead in Amritsar (East) with 21,994 seats. Right behind him is BJP’s Rajesh Kumar Honey with 2,208 votes.
Congress candidate Manpreet Singh Badal is also leading from the Bhatinda (urban) seat with 20,620 votes.
SAD leader Sukhbir Badal is ahead in Jalalabad with 14,165 seats. His contender - AAP’s Bhagwant Mann is in the second spot with followed by Congress’ Ravneet Singh Bittu.
Congress chief Amarinder Singh might be lagging behind in Lambi but is ahead by 36,552 votes in his second constituency Patiala.
SAD’s Gen JJ Singh (retd) trails badly behind Capt Amarinder Singh and AAP’s Balbir Singh in Patiala.
SAD leader and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is leading from his Lambi constituency. Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh is on the second position followed by AAP’s Jarnail Singh.
SAD leader Bikaram Singh Majithia leads in his Majitha constituency.
Vote counting begins at all the 54 centres in 27 locations in Punjab for 117 assembly seats. Postal ballots will be counted first.
Dry day has been declared in Punjab on Saturday.
AAP leader Kumar Vishwas is confident of winning in Punjab and said: “Our party is only 3-4 years old and we've brought about a significant change in the Indian political arena.”
The Congress headquarters in Delhi held a yajna for its candidates on Saturday right before the counting of votes commences.
As the countdown for counting of votes begins, debutant AAP is looking forward to a “New Punjab”.
Nawan Savera, Nawan Punjab pic.twitter.com/RYnC5UrEEa
— AAP Punjab (@AAPPunjab2017) March 11, 2017
AAP leader Sanjay Singh wished his Punjab party candidates luck. “Your hard work will definitely pay,” he said.
????? AAP ?? ??? ???????????? ?? ??????? ???????????,??? ????? ?? ???? ?? ????? ????? ????? ????? ???? ????? ??? ??????, #SSA
— Sanjay Singh AAP (@SanjayAzadSln) March 11, 2017
Congress leader and former chief minister Amarinder Singh turned 75 on the vote-counting day.
It remains to be seen what gift is in store for the state Congress chief who has announced that this was his last election.
If the Congress, which is seeking to return to power in Punjab after a hiatus of 10 years, wins, he would have two reasons to cheer.
Exit polls by various news channels and survey agencies have indicated a rout for the SAD-BJP alliance in Punjab, with most projecting single-digit seats for the ruling combine.
While some surveys put the Congress and AAP in a neck-and-neck finish, one survey each gave a clear majority to the AAP and the Congress respectively.
Here’s a look at the projections by leading opinion polls.
The stage is set for counting of votes on Saturday to wrap up a staggered poll process in five states – the biggest electoral contest ahead of the 2019 general elections – in what is largely seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonetisation move.
According to the Election Commission of India, the early trends will start pouring in from 8 am for Punjab, where thousands of central forces have been deployed at 54 vote counting centres in 27 locations.
The Congress is eyeing power in Punjab, but is expected to be given a tough fight by the Aam Aadmi Party, which is also hoping to form government in the state, which would mark its first electoral success outside Delhi.
More than 14,000 officials have been deployed at the counting centres, where tight security arrangements have been made to ensure that the exercise is completed peacefully.
In the 2012 Assembly elections, the state witnessed a direct contest between Congress and SAD-BJP coalition. The ruling SAD-BJP alliance led by Parkash Singh Badal won the elections by securing 68 out of 117 seats.
The SAD won 56 seats, whereas BJP secured 12 seats out of 24 it contested. Indian National Congress, under the leadership of former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, won 46 seats.
Here’s how Punjab voted in 2014 Lok Sabha elections.