Both the Congress's biggest leaders in Punjab - Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and state unit boss Navjot Singh Sidhu - were trailing, as counting of votes entered the fifth hour on Thursday.
The ruling party was headed for a crushing defeat at the hands of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which appeared to be nearing a landslide victory.
Mr Channi is trailing from both the constituencies he contested from - Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur.
AAP candidate Charanjit Singh is leading from Chamkaur Sahib, while the party's Labh Singh Ugoke is leading from Bhadaur seat.
Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia are trailing from Amritsar East seat while Aam Aadmi Party candidate Jeevanjyot Kaur is leading.
The Amritsar East constituency in Amritsar is the most keenly watched electoral contest in the state.
Several other political stalwarts and senior leaders, including Akali Dal patriarch Parkash Singh Badal and former chief minister Amarinder Singh were also trailing in their assembly constituencies.
Counting of votes for 117 assembly seats in Punjab began on Thursday amid tight security arrangements.
Exit polls had predicted a big victory for Arvind Kejriwal's party - which has established its presence in the state - pushing the Congress to the number 2 position in the 117-member assembly.
The Congress has been a divided house for more than a year in the run-up to the polls. Its internal rivalries, including the battle between former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and cricketer-turned politician Navjot Sidhu, had dominated headlines.
Mr Singh's new party, the Punjab Lok Congress, has joined hands with the BJP. The Akali Dal, which split for its longtime partner BJP after the countrywide protests over the farm laws, form the other contender in the multi-cornered contest.
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