Lok Sabha Election 2024 Opinion Poll | Congress poised for victory in Punjab with 7 seats

In Punjab, anticipation and reflection grip voters as the upcoming Lok Sabha elections loom on the horizon. According to a recent News18 opinion poll, the Congress party is projected to clinch victory with expectations of securing 7 out of the 13 seats up for grabs. On the other hand, the NDA is anticipated to secure 3 seats, leaving the remaining 3 to various other parties, including Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The projected vote shares paint an intriguing picture, with the Congress-led I.N.D.I.A bloc expected to command a significant 38% share, followed by the NDA with 13%, and other parties collectively holding 49%. A breakdown of the 'OTHERS' category reveals SAD with 22%, AAP with 15%, and other smaller parties accumulating 12%.

Delving deeper into public sentiment, the News18 opinion poll gauged satisfaction levels with both the performance of the central government and the sitting MPs over the past five years. Out of 2,712 respondents, 72% expressed varying degrees of satisfaction with the central government's performance, while sentiments towards sitting MPs were more diverse, ranging from 'very dissatisfied' to 'very satisfied'.

This electoral anticipation follows Punjab's political landscape during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, when the Indian National Congress (INC) emerged as the dominant force, securing 8 out of 13 seats with a notable vote share of 40.6%. Notably, Manish Tewari, representing the Anandpur Sahib constituency, clinched victory for the Congress.

Meanwhile, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) secured 2 seats with a vote share of 27.8%, including Sukhbir Singh Badal's win in Ferozpur, solidifying the party's position. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to secure 2 seats, with Sunny Deol emerging victorious from Gurdaspur, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) clinched 1 seat with a 7.5% vote share.

The electoral battle delineated into a contest between the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The UPA, spearheaded by the Congress, emerged triumphant with 8 seats, consolidating its influence in the state. Conversely, the NDA, comprising the SAD and BJP, secured 4 seats.

However, the SAD decided to sever its 24-year-old alliance with the BJP. In a historic move announced in September 2020, the SAD's decision came in response to the BJP's support for contentious agricultural reform bills in Parliament, leading to the resignation of Harsimrat Kaur Badal from the Modi government.