Big day for democracy as all 117 seats in Punjab, 59 in UP go to polls

New Delhi: All 117 Assembly seats in Punjab and 59 in Uttar Pradesh will go to the polls on Sunday, with the two states witnessing multi-cornered contests. Punjab is currently ruled by the Congress and the BJP is in power in Uttar Pradesh. In UP, elections are being held in seven phases, the third of which will be held on Sunday.

Polling in Punjab will be held from 8 am to 6 pm. In Uttar Pradesh, the polling will take place between 7 am and 6 pm, according to the election authorities. The counting will take place on March 10.

Campaigning for the Sunday polls had ended on Friday, with senior leaders of the parties making a final effort to woo voters. In Punjab, over 2.14 crore voters will decide the fate of 1,304 candidates, including 93 women. Punjab is witnessing a multicornered contest among the Congress, AAP, SAD-BSP, BJP-PLCSAD (Sanyukt) and the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha, a political front of various farmer bodies.

The ruling Congress has come under severe attack from its political opponents over various issues, including the drug menace and corruption.

The Congress is banking on decisions like reduction in electricity tariff and fuel prices. The decisions were taken during current CM Charanjit Singh Channi’s 111-day tenure. AAP, which has emerged as a major contender, is eyeing to wrest power while projecting the Delhi model of governance.

The stakes are also high for the Shiromani Akali Dal, which is contesting the polls in alliance with the BSP after breaking ties with the BJP in 2020 over the farm laws issue.