Five-state election result 2022: The big leaders whom voters rejected

While some leaders made big gains, some heavyweights lost their electoral battles. Here’s a look at some of the prominent leaders who bit the dust in the Assembly elections.

After months of campaigning and voting, the verdict for the five Assembly elections was declared on March 10. The results declared in the five states were Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa and had witnessed some of the biggest political leaders in the fray. While some leaders made big gains, some heavyweights lost their electoral battles. Here’s a look at some of the prominent leaders who bit the dust in the Assembly elections. 

Harish Rawat: Opposition Congress campaign committee head and former Chief Minister Harish Rawat, 72, contested a crucial political battle in his five-decade-old political career from Lalkuan in Uttarakhand’s Nanital district. Dubbed as an ‘outsider’, Rawat contested against a party rebel and a BJP candidate Mohan Singh Bisht in Lalkuan and lost by over 14,000 votes.

Captain Amarinder Singh: Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh lost the election on Thursday as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) swept the state leaving the Congress far behind and crushed heavyweight leaders across parties.

Sukhbir Badal: It was the biggest litmus test of Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh’s political career when counting of votes are done on Thursday. The 59-year-old contested the February 20 polls from Jalalabad Assembly constituency with no formidable opponent, but as party chief, he lost the crucial battle.

Charanjit Singh Channi: The first Dalit CM of Punjab and the Congress’s CM face, Charanjit Singh Channi lost his electoral battles from both his seats - Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur. In Bhadaur, Labh Singh Ugoke from Aam Aadmi Party got over 57,000 votes, while Channi drew a little over 23,000 votes. In the other seat, Channi polled 50,000 votes, while his nearest rival from the Aam Aadmi Party who has a similar name - Charanjit Singh - got over 54,000 votes.

Parkash Singh Badal: A SAD patriarch and five-time Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal who was seeking re-election from his home turf Lambi lost to novice AAP candidate and his nearest rival Gurmeet Singh Khudian by a huge margin. 

Navjot Singh Sidhu: One of the biggest upsets this election is Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu losing his electoral battle in Amritsar East, where he was locked in a high-profile contest with Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia. Sidhu – who was sent thrice to Parliament from Amritsar, all three on a BJP ticket, and once to the Punjab Assembly, as the Congress candidate from Amritsar East – has conceded defeat.