Congress debacle: Punjab CM Channi, 9 ministers bite the dust

Channi lost from both the seats – his home turf Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur; however, those who rebelled against former chief minister Capt. Amarinder Singh managed to win

Patiala: The 16th Punjab assembly elections spelled doom for Congress with sitting CM Charanjit Singh Channi along with nine of his ministers out of a total 18 facing a crushing defeat from their opponents in the state.

Channi lost from both the seats – his home turf Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur.

However, those who rebelled against former chief minister Capt. Amarinder Singh managed to win.

“Those who raised the public issues and remained vocal against Captain Amarinder and Badals, have managed to win seats. It is a clear indication that people voted for them for standing for their cause, otherwise no one was winning a seat in this tsunami of AAP,” said a poll pundit.

Channi lost from both the seats – his home turf Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur.

In Majha, Deputy chief minister O P Soni, who had won five successive polls, lost to his loyalist and former councillor Dr Ajay Gupta of AAP from Amritsar Central. Cabinet minister Raj Kumar Verka lost the Congress stronghold Amritsar west to AAP Candidate Dr Jasbir Singh Sandhu, who got almost 58 percent of total polled votes.

In Malwa, Manpreet Singh Badal lost to his aide Jagroop Gill, a former Congress councillor who joined AAP. Government employees had waged a war against Badal for denying them service benefits and pay commission.

Similarly, Kaka Randeep Singh finished third from Amloh. The industrialists of Mandi Gobindgarh had run a secret campaign against Randeep, apparently leading to his fall.

Ludhiana strongman Bharat Bhushan Ashu also lost to his protege Gurpreet Bassi, who rebelled and joined AAP. Another Hindu face of the cabinet Vijayinder Singla lost to first time AAP Candidate Narinder Kaur Bharaj, while cabinet minister Brahm Mohindra didn’t contest and got the ticket allotted to his son. However, his son Mohit Mohindra lost to AAP candidate. Similarly, Gurkirat Singh Kotli from Khanna and Razia Sultana from Malerkotla finished distant second from AAP candidates.

In Doaba, Sangat Singh Gilzian, who has won thrice from Urmar, lost this time.

However, Rana Gurjit Singh not only won his Kapurthala seat, but he also ensured victory for his son who contested as a Congress rebel from Sultanpur Lodhi.

Majha region emerged as a face saver for the party. Deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, cabinet Ministers Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Sukhbinder Singh Sukhsarkaria, who rebelled against Capt. Amarinder Singh, managed to win the elections.

Cabinet ministers Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Pargat Singh and Aruna Chaudhry, who also rebelled against Amarinder and sided with the Majha express, also tasted victory.

However, the victory margins of Congress stalwarts remained very thin as deputy CM Randhawa managed to win his seat by only 466 votes.