The state assembly poll outcome has come has a huge embarrassment for former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, as he not only lost from its bastion Patiala City but his Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) got fewer votes than NOTA.
While 1,10,308 voters opted for none of the above (NOTA) in Punjab, PLC candidates -- that Amarinder had floated after his unceremonious exit from the Congress about three months ahead of the assembly polls -- got less than 84,697 votes on its symbol. Five party candidates had contested on the ally BJP’s lotus symbol.
Barring on three seats of Patiala, Patiala Rural and Sanaur, his party candidates even ended up forfeiting their security. Even from Patiala Rural, PLC candidate and sitting Patiala mayor Sanjeev Bittu managed to get only 11,718 votes and stood fourth. The segment has almost half of the Royal City’s areas.
On 20 seats, the PLC could not even cross 1,000 votes, whereas 11 seats are such where the political outfit could not cross 500 mark.
Considered a highly popular and tall leader till he formed the PLC, the two-time former chief minister’s popularity has hit the ground after the results. Amarinder, who is considered close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah, was hoping to be a kingmaker anticipating a hung assembly.
{{/usCountry}}Considered a highly popular and tall leader till he formed the PLC, the two-time former chief minister’s popularity has hit the ground after the results. Amarinder, who is considered close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah, was hoping to be a kingmaker anticipating a hung assembly.
{{/usCountry}}However, he fought the polls as a lone soldier as he could not break even a single strong leader from the Congress to his side. In absence of senior leaders, the PLC poll strategy concentrated on a few retired bureaucrats and the former chief minister could not canvass with full force for all the candidates.