Punjab Election 2022 Exit Polls: What did not work for Congress this election?

As the exit polls predicted that the Aam Aadmi Party, here are some reasons why Congress could not sweep the state.

Punjab, First Published Mar 7, 2022, 10:50 PM IST | Last Updated Mar 7, 2022, 10:50 PM IST

As the exit polls predicted that the Aam Aadmi Party, many are wondering what did not work the Congress. The party currently in power in Delhi is expected to win 75-plus seats in the 117-member Punjab Assembly, according to exit polls 2022. According to the exit poll results, the incumbent Congress is in second place, with a chance of winning 19-31 seats or 23% of the vote. The BJP coalition, which includes former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's Punjab Lok Congress, is expected to win one to four seats, or 7% of the vote.

Here are some reasons why Congress could not sweep the state:

Jakhar was the first to drop the first bombshell. He claimed that after Captain Amarinder Singh was forced to resign, more than 42 MLAs supported him in another survey conducted by the party's high command. However, he claimed that he was denied the CM position "because he is a Punjabi Hindu." Jakhar had a close relationship with the Punjab Congress' MLAs, the majority of whom reportedly supported him for the leadership role in the government.

Navjot Singh Sidhu became state president after Captain Amarinder Singh resigned as Chief Minister due to their continuous infighting. He had agreed to resign as state president in exchange for the position of CM. He stated that he should be named CM. This indicated to the party's senior leadership that he was vying for the position of CM. It raised questions about his way of thinking and working. Channi overtook Sidhu at this critical juncture.

During his previous visit to Punjab at the end of January, Rahul Gandhi named the CM candidate his Punjab problem as he attempted to mitigate the damage caused by party infighting. Rahul Gandhi announced current Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi as the party's chief ministerial candidate for the 2022 Punjab elections, saying the state requires someone who understands poverty and hunger. The announcement came after months of speculation about who would be the Congress's President Ministerial face, with Channi and state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu competing for the position.

The last straw was Channi's nephew being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate regarding the illegal sand mining case. Punjab CM Charanjit Singh's nephew, Bhupinder Singh Honey, was summoned to Jalandhar for questioning in connection with the cash case, and he was unable to answer any questions. Later, he was arrested by police by the ED team.

Also Read | Punjab Election 2022 Exit Polls: Bhagwant Mann confident of winning more than 80 seats

Also Read | Punjab Election 2022 Exit Polls: 'Wait for 3 more days, situation will be clear,' say Congress leaders

Also Read | Punjab Election 2022 Exit Polls: What worked for Aam Aadmi Party to sweep state?

Also Read | Punjab Election 2022 Exit Polls: AAP likely to become single largest party, predict pollsters

For more reliable and latest news