governments, which, with theexception of the last SAD-BJPgovernment, never completedterm in office.

Many heads rolled in the battleof the ballot which witnessed arecord polling of 76 per cent.

Interestingly, if former FinanceMinister Capt Kanwaljit Singh ofSAD won by more than 40,000votes from Banur, Deputy ChiefMinister Rajinder Kaur Bhattalscrapped past Prem Singh Chan-dumajra by only 254 votes.

Among the old stalwarts of theCongress who fell by the way-side were Shamsher Singh Dullo,Sardul Singh, Avtar Henry,Mohinder Singh Kaypee, Chaud-hury Jagjeet Singh, Prof DarbariLal, Gurchet Singh Bhullar,Malkiat Singh Dakha, RakeshPandey, Malkiat Singh Birmi,Amrik Singh Dhillon, JagmohanSingh Kang, Jasjit Singh Rand-hawa, Dr Mohinder KumarRinwa and Dr Harbans Lal.

The Akalis, too, faced reverses.Those who failed to make it areVeer Singh Lopoke, Kuldip SinghWadala, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Ragh-bir Singh, Bhag Singh Mallah,Ranjit Singh Talwandi, JagdishSingh Garcha, Mahesh InderSingh Grewal, Inder Iqbal SinghAtwal, Ajaib Singh

Mukhmailpur, Harmel SinghTohra, Raja Narinder Singh,Gaganjit Singh Barnala, PremSingh Chandumajra, BaldevSingh Mann, Gurdev SinghBadal, Gobind Singh Kanjhla,Malkit Singh Keetu, GobindSingh Longowal, Hari SinghZira, Tota Singh, Mantar SinghBrar, Sikander Singh Maluka andBalwinder Singh Bhunder.Continued on page 17 col 1�� Edit: Congress loses Punjab

PRABHJOT SINGHTRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

CHANDIGARH, FEBRUARY 27Upholding convention, the Pun-

jab voterfavoured achange, givingthe SAD-BJPalliance achance to gov-ern the stateafter a fierceelectoral battle.

With 45 per cent of voters below35 years of age, many old warhors-es of the SAD-BJPalliance and theCongress were defeated.

While the Akalis led by three-time Chief Minister ParkashSingh Badal survived some anx-ious contests to improve its tallyof 2002 by eight to 48, its alliancepartner BJP roared to success in19 constituencies against two (ini-tially three) seats it held in theoutgoing House, giving the com-bine a total of 68 out of 116.

For the BJP it has been itsbiggest ever tally in Punjab, theprevious best being 18 in 1997. Atthat time SAD had 75 legislatorsin the 93-member ruling alliance.

Parkash Singh Badal, who wasprojected as chief ministerial can-didate by the alliance, is expect-ed to be sworn in as the head ofthe new government later thisweek for a fourth term. The BJPhas already staked claim fordeputy chief ministership.

Polling in Beas segment will beheld on March 11.

The ruling Congress managedto win 44 seats, elbowing outAkalis from their stronghold ofMalwa.

If the doaba and the majhaorchestrated the SAD-BJP col-lective win, Malwa gave the Con-gress respectability.

The results today clearly indi-cate the trend of alliance poli-tics.Though last time the votershad given the Congress a clearverdict, returning 61 of its candi-dates, this time no party got aclear majority on its own.

Punjab has a history of coalition

PPaaggee--11

The TribuneChandigarh � New Delhi � Jalandhar � Wednesday, February 28, 2007Vol.127 No. 58 City Edition** 24 + 4 pages � Rs 2www.tribuneindia.com

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The dark and corrupt legacy of despoticdictatorship stands thoroughly rejectedand defeated as Punjab embarks on a

new journey of hope and optimism— Parkash Singh Badal after his victory‘‘

PunjabDecides

SAD FOR CONGUrban shock does Amarinder inBJP claims unexpected successes

Bibi Jagir KaurSAD (Bholath)

S.S. DulloCong (Khanna)

Jagjit SinghCong (Kartarpur)

Jagmohan S. KangCong (Morinda)

Tota SinghSAD (Moga)

BIGgunslose

Manipur forCong-CPI

IMPHAL, FEBRUARY 27 Manipur offered a consolation prizeto the Congress as the party inalliance with the CPI gained absolutemajority in the ninth assembly elec-tions. Halting the anti-incumbencywave in Punjab and Uttarakhand, theCongress on its own won 30 seats in ahouse of 60 while the Communist Partyof India bagged four. Chief MinisterOkram Ibobi Singh's charismaproved magic for the party as itsnuffed out the Opposition chal-lenge convincingly. — UNI

Photo on page 2

BJP whacks Congressin Uttarakhand

RAJU WILLIAM/TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

DEHRADUN, FEBRUARY 27But for the one seat the BJP, which hasemerged as the single largest party,fell short of getting majority in theUttarakhand Assembly elections.Faced with hung verdict, the party hasbecome dependent on the outside sup-port to form the new government.The BJP led the final tally by winning34 seats out of 69 Assembly con-stituencies whose results were declaredhere today. The Congress, which had40 members in the previous Assembly,was voted out of power as it won only21 seats this time.

The BSP won eight seats while threeseats each went to the kitty of the Uttarak-hand Kranti Dal (UKD) and the inde-pendents. In the 70-member Assembly,election for the Bazpur constituency wascountermanded due to the death of theCongress candidate in a road accident.

The final picture would have beendifferent, had the BJP won from thePauri constituency where its candi-date Tirath Singh lost by just 11 votesto an independent, Yashpal Benaam,despite recounting. But the state BJPchief and former Chief Minister Bha-gat Singh Koshyari told TNS that they

had been assured of the outside sup-port to form the government.

The verdict showed the voters con-fidence in the BJP, he said before rush-ing to Delhi for the meeting of his partyhigh command to discuss the nitty-gritty of the government formation.

Former Union minister B C. Khanduriis likely to be the Chief Moinister of theContinued on page 17 col 1�� Edit: Uttarakhand goes to BJP

B.C. Khanduri: likely CM

Total Seats 117Elections held 116Results declared 116SAD 48BJP 19Congress 44Others 5

Total seats 60Seats declared 60Congress 29NCP 06CPI 04RJD 03Manipur People’s Party 05National People’s Party 03Independents 10

TALLY

TALLY

I am disappointed. The urban voter ditchedme... — Amarinder Singh after defeat P 6

Badal kin saga continuesSARBJIT DHALIWAL/TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

CHANDIGARH, FEBRUARY 27It is a mixed bag as far as perform-ance of close relations of politicalleaders is concerned. Capt KanwaljitSingh from Banur won with a con-vincing margin but his son JasjitSingh Bunny lost to Balbir SinghSidhu form Kharar.

Almost all close relations ofParkash Singh Badal won from vari-ous segments. His nephew ManpreetSingh Badal won from Gidderbahaand his son-in-law Adesh PartapSingh Kairon from Patti. His otherrelative Birkram Singh won from

Majitha and Janmeja Singh Sekhonfrom Ferozepore. Jagbir Singh Brarwon from Jalandhar cantonment.

Swarna Ram from Phagwara andhis son Mohan Lal from Banga alsosailed through. Rajinder Kaur Bhat-tal and his brother Kuldeep SinghBhattal won from Lehra and Dhanu-la segments.

However, Simranjit Singh Mann andhis son Iman Singh were defeated. Vid-han Sabha Speaker Dr Kewal Krishan'sson Rajnish Kumar lost to BJP candi-date Arunesh Shakar in Mukerian.

Tej Parkash Singh, son of the lateBeant Singh, won from Payal but hissister Gukanwal Kaur was defeatedin Jalandhar cantonment. PartapSingh Bajwa won from Kahnuwanbut his brother Fateh Jang wasdefeated in Hargobindpur.

Senior Dalit leaders also suffereddefeat. The most important amongthem is Shamsher Singh Dullo, wholost to little-known SAD candidateBikramjit Singh Khalsa in Khanna.Choudhury Jagjit Singh and hisbrother Santokh Singh were defeat-

ed in their respective constituencies.Mohinder Singh Kaypee also suf-fered defeat in Jalandhar. SardulSingh lost to Malkiat Singh in Jandi-ala. Malkiat Singh Dakha has lost.

Senior Akali Dalit leader, Mr Gur-dev Singh, has been defeated in Pan-jgrain. Other Akali Dalit leaderswhowere defeated are Gobind SinghKanjla, Satwant Kaur Sandhu, Satin-der Kaur Dhaliwal and Gura SinghTungwali. The only Christian candi-date, Abraham Irshad, put up by theCongress in Dhariwal lost to SuchaSingh Langah. Many relativelyyoung Dalit leaders such as MakhanSingh emerged winners.

Dalit biggies bite dust

Total seats 70Election held 69BJP 34Congress 21BSP 8Independents 3UKD 2Outstanding 1Total 69

TALLY

‘‘Sidhu humbles

Singla Report on page 5

� Price rise behind polldebacle: Cong P 24

� BJP wants Deputy CM’s post P 17� Bajwa lone survivor in Gurdaspur P 4� Special fund for cheap atta, dal P 6� Former militant Valtoha wins P 6� Morinda rejects Kang, Kharar Bunny P 6� Khaira defeats Bibi Jagir Kaur P6IN

SID

E

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