Comedian, AAP leader Bhagwant Mann loses to Sukhbir Badal
Comedian-turned-politician and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann lost to Punjab Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal by 18,500 votes. The Shiromani Akali Dal leader won over 75,000 votes while Mann could manage just around 56,000 votes. Sukhbir Singh's father and outgoing CM Parkash Singh Badal defeated Congress' Chief Ministerial candidate Captain Amarinder Singh from the Lambi seat.
For the first time in recent history, Punjab witnessed a three-cornered fight for its 117-seat Assembly. Counting began at 8 am at 54 centres in 27 locations where the state election commission had deployed more than 14,000 officials.  The Congress took a lead since the very first trend, and continued the momentum to outrun its competition. The party has come close to winning a two-thirds majority in the Punjab Assembly and with at least 69 seats in its bag, Congress is far ahead of the likely second-placed Aam Aadmi Party. The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party, which exit polls had predicted wouldn't even reach double digits, put a better showing than expected. While it took leads in more than 20 seats in the morning, its lead was cut back once the results started becoming clearer. Incumbent Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has conceded defeated and has said he will offer his resignation to the governor tomorrow. Meanwhile, Congress's Captain Amarinder Singh will have a very memorable 75th birthday today as the veteran leader prepares to head the new government in what is going to be his last political innings. Singh, who has said this is the last time he is contesting an election, lost to Badal in Lambi, but comfortably won from his home seat of Patliala (Urban).  Here is all that happened: 