Punjab elections 2017: Arvind Kejriwal's AAP did not exist when Punjab re-elected the Akalis in 2012
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose Aam Aadmi Party or AAP is locked in a three-way battle with the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance in Punjab, today urged the people of the state to go out and vote for "honest politics." Tweeting first in Hindi and then in Gurmukhi, the Delhi Chief Minister said "Today is election day. Everyone must go to vote and take people of your village along with you and vote for honest politics."
Punjab, which is
voting for all 117 assembly constituencies in a single phase today, has seen 10 per cent voting in the first two hours of polling, which began at 8 am.
"8 to 10 per cent polling has taken place till 10 am," an election office spokesman said in Chandigarh, adding that the polling was peaceful.
The Aam Aadmi Party, which is making its debut in Punjab assembly elections, has fielded candidates in 112 seats, while its ally Lok Insaf Party, led by Ludhiana-based Bains brothers, has fielded nominees in five seats.
The Aam Aadmi Party did not exist when Punjab re-elected the Akalis in 2012. Just two years later, it won four of the 13 parliamentary seats, a windfall for a fiercely ambitious but inexperienced player.
Mr Kejriwal has been on promotional duty in Punjab in the recent months. The party has not named a Chief Ministerial candidate, though its lawmaker Bhagwant Mann, AAP's tallest leader in the state, is reportedly top seeded.
Votes will be counted in Punjab on March 11.
With inputs from agencies