Chandigarh: Campaigning ended for the June 1 Lok Sabha election in Punjab, which, for the first time, will see even five-cornered contests on several seats.
The elections are a litmus test for the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government which is seeking a vote on the issues of development, employment generation and free power supply (300 units per month) in its two-year rule in the state.
The elections are a matter of survival for the beleaguered Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) whose performance in the elections has been going from bad to worse since 2017. It is for the first time in 25 years that SAD and the BJP are fighting the General Election on their own. For the BJP, the poll or even the vote share will determine if the party can stand on its own in the state.
Also keenly watched is the fate of turncoats. This is more true for the BJP, which has nominated 11 of the 13 candidates from other parties.