On 10/3/2022 election results for five states were out and mostly as per exit poll predictions. AAP won in Punjab. BJP retained power in four states.
In Punjab out of 117 seats AAP won 92, BJP 2, BSP 1, Congress 18, SAD 3 and Independent 1. AAP had tried to form government in 2017 and had failed. That time it won 20 seats.
Many leaders lost. They included Parkash Singh Badal, Amarinder Singh, Charanjit Singh Channi, Sukhbir Singh Badal and Navjot Singh Sidhu. AAP victory in Punjab is similar to its victory in Delhi in 2015.
Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi made a mess of Punjab by their actions or inaction. Congress was in a good position till six months back. Then Sidhu started throwing tantrums. Gandhis appeased him. Sidhu was made party’s state president replacing Sunil Jakhar. That did not satisfy him. Amarinder Singh was to be replaced as CM. Amarinder Singh opposed making Sidhu CM. Charanjit Singh Channi became CM. Some days later Amarinder Singh quit Congress and formed Punjab Lok Congress. Sunil Jakhar became inactive in politics. He claimed majority of MLAs wanted him as CM and he was not made CM because he was a Hindu. Sidhu wanted to be CM. Rahul Gandhi declared Channi as CM candidate. Sidhu lost interest.
In UP out of 403 seats BJP won 255, SP 111, Apna Dal (S) 12, RLD 8, SBSP 6, NISHAM 6, Congress 2, JDL 2 and BSP 1. In 2017 BJP had won 312, SP 47, Apna Dal (S) 9, RLD 1, SBSP 4, NISHAM 1, Congress 7, BSP 19 and Independents 3.
In 2017 Congress was an ally of SP and contested more than 100 seats and won 7. This time it contested all 403 seats and won 2. Priyanka Gandhi had extensively campaigned in UP. BSP is reduced to 1. BJP has lost seats and has majority of its own. SP and RLD gained seats.
In Uttarakhand out of 70 seats BJP won 47, Congress 19, BSP 2 and Independents 2. CM Pushkar Singh Dhami lost. Compared to 2017 BJP got 10 less and Congress got 8 more.
In Manipur out of 60 seats BJP won 32, NPP 7, JD(U) 6, Congress 5, NPF 5, KPA 2 and Independents 3.
In Goa out of 40 seats BJP won 20, Congress 11, AAP 2, MGP 2, GFP 1, RGP 1 and Independents 3.
There is competition to be main rival to BJP. Some TMC leaders said Congress can not take on BJP and it should merge with TMC. Congress won seats in each of five states. TMC did not win any. It contested in Goa and hoped to form government.
Some AAP leaders think AAP can replace Congress as main rival to BJP. AAP with two CMs is equal to Congress with two CMs. Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan are bigger than Delhi and Punjab. Congress is an ally in ruling coalitions in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. AAP did not win any seat in UP, Uttarakhand and Manipur.
Presidential Election is due in July. Value of electoral votes of various parties is clear. BJP would like to have its candidate as President. It may like to promote Venkaiah Naidu to that post. Opposition parties will have their candidates. KCR wants to lead non-BJP, non-Congress Front. Mamata Banerjee wants to lead a Front that includes Congress. With 301 Lok Sabha members, 97 Rajya Sabha members, and MLAs in many states, and some allies, BJP should be able to have its candidate as President.