With the five-year terms of five state Assemblies coming to an end, the Election Commission of India is preparing to hold polls in those states, and Punjab is one of them. A news agency survey for the 2017 Punjab Assembly election has projected a sweeping result for the Aam Aadmi Party.

The contest

Punjab is currently governed by the alliance of the Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP, which is working out how to hold on to power. Parties across the state have stepped up their preparations. The main players in the race are:

• Shiromani Akali Dal
• Bharatiya Janata Party
• Indian National Congress
• Aam Aadmi Party
• Bahujan Samaj Party
• Punjab Democratic Party

Both AAP and the BJP describe themselves as game changers, saying they can win anywhere despite poll predictions. A keenly fought, competitive election is expected.

What the survey says

This will be the first Punjab Assembly election that AAP contests. According to the survey, the party could repeat in Punjab the kind of performance it delivered in the Delhi Assembly election and form the government comfortably, winning between 90 and 100 of the state’s 117 seats.

An opinion poll, however, is only an indication of public mood. Nobody can be certain of the outcome, which will be settled only when the votes are counted.

What happened next

In the 2017 Punjab Assembly election, the Congress won 77 of the 117 seats, AAP 20 and the Shiromani Akali Dal 15. Amarinder Singh became Chief Minister.

See also: Aam Aadmi Party and Punjab Vidhan Sabha members.

Originally published on 29 July 2016. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us