Election Results: Badals true Lions of Punjab, Akali-BJP combine is winning

The Akali Dal-BJP combine looks set to make history by becoming the first combine to overcome an anti-incumbency trend and return to power in the 2012 state assembly elections. Counting trends at 9.30 am on Tuesday showed the combine leading comfortably with 42 leads against the Congress’ 30 in a 117-member assembly. Others were at six leads. While these trends could change a bit as results start coming in from rural constituencies, it is highly unlikely that one should be expecting an upset. If the Akali-BJP front wins this time, it would have done so in the teeth of a strong Congress challenge and in the face of huge dissensions in its own ranks. [caption id=“attachment_235334” align=“alignright” width=“380” caption=“The Punjab shocker. PTI”] [/caption] The People’s Party of Punjab, led by the chief minister’s nephew Manpreet Badal, had set up a Sanjha Front which is sure to have cut into the Akali-BJP vote in the cities. However, the trends show that this challenge has been overcome. This could mean that the father-son duo of Prakash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Badal – CM and Deputy CM currently – will continue to rule the roast. The results will also set the stage for the coronation of Sukhbir Badal as the next chief minister whenever Prakash Singh decides to hang up his boots. The significance of the impending Akali-BJP victory is that it has overcome anti-incumbency, which has been the dominant theme in Punjab politics all through. As Firstpost has noted: “In 1967, the Congress won the elections, winning 35 seats. Two years later, in 1969, the Akali Dal was voted to power (winning 43 seats). In 1972, it was the Congress (winning 65 seats); the Akali Dal returned in 1977 (winning 58 seats). The Congress came back in 1980 (winning 63 seats) but lost out to the Akali Dal (winning 73 seats) in the 1985 elections.” The Congress received a landslide mandate in 1992 (winning 87 seats); and the Akali Dal returned the compliment in 1997 with 75 seats. In 2002, Capt Amarinder Singh was sworn in as CM, but he too could not fight the “anti-incumbency” tide and lost out to the Akali Dal in 2007. What the Akali-BJP showing in Punjab suggests is that the Badals continue to be the predominant powerhouse in the state, and even serious allegations of corruption against the father-and-son duo has not dented their popularity. The Badals have proved that they are the true lions of Punjab.