Congress Setback In Punjab

From Our Special Correspondent

Chandigarh, February 21.

In the first round of Punjab election results, the Congress suffered heavy losses.  It won only nine of the 28 seats the result of which were announced till late tonight.

The Congress losses include the Speaker, Mr Harbans Lal, The P.W.D. Minister, Mr Niranjan Singyh Talib, the Food Minister, Mr Yash.

Click here for a larger view of The Tribune Page 1 published on February 21, 1967

 The Akali Dal (Sant group) emerged as the second best, having captured eight seats.

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Part IV Election series :  Punjab Assembly Elections — 1967

Read more: 

• A United Front pushes Congress to the Opposition Benches
• Polling in punjab to be over by 5 p.m. on February 19
• Front ministry won't last long, says Zail Singh
• Congress hopeful of forming government
• Gurmukh Singh Musafir Defeated
• Sant Prefers Mrs. Gandhi To Desai
• Electioneering Comes To End
• Punjab and Haryana Go To Polls
• 13 Arrested For Personation In Chandigarh
• A New Chapter
• Congress Setback In Punjab
• Final party position in Punjab Assembly
• Gurnam Singh invited to form ministry

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The rival Akali Dal of Master Tara Singh fared badly.  It won only one seat and many of its candidates lost security deposits.  

The Jan Sikh has captures four seats.

 The Independents have won three seats.  The Maharaja of Patiala Mr Yadavindra Singh, won the highest majority of 25,530 whereas in all other constituencies the margin was rather low.

Although the Congress has lost many of its seats, it had gained the Morinda Reserve seat from the Akali Dal and Rupar from the Communists (R).

Mr Harcharan Singh Hudlra, Vice President of the Akali Dal (Sant) won by a narrow margin of 862 votes.

The leader of the Opposition in the outgoing Assembly, Mr Gurnam Singh (Akali-Sant) was returned from Kila Raipur although he was opposed by a candidate of Akali Dal (Master) besides the Congress.

The Speaker was defeated by an Independent.

Among the successful Congress candidates was Mr Prem Singh, Prem, who defeated his nearest rival Mr Pritivi Singh (Ind.) by 300 votes in the Banur Constituency of Patiala District.

The Congress victory was in Khadoor Sahib in Amritsar, Raipur in Patiala district, and Jagraon in Ludhiana district.  The winners are Jathedar Mohan Singh. Mr. Satpal Kapur, and Mr Gurcharan Singh Galib.

The Akali Dal (Sant) came out victorious in Kharar, Sunam, Sardulgarh and Talwandi Saboo, and Kila Raipur. Mr. Gurnam Singh, leader of the Akali Party in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, defeated his Congress rival by 5,454 votes in the Kila Raipur.

 The Amritsar East and the Amritsar Central Constituencies were won by Dr. Baldev Parkash and Mr. Balram Das Tandon (both Jan Sangh), sitting members of the outgoing Assembly. Mr. Tandon defeated Mr. Jai Inder Singh, the Congress candidate, who is also a sitting member.

Both the winning Jan Sangh candidates have improved their majority.  The CPI (Left), captured Dhanaula, a new constituency in Sangrur district. The winner, Mr.

Hardit Singh Bhattal is a sitting member having won the last election from Sangrur. 

Mr. Narinder Singh. Independent, defeated the sitting Congress member, Mr. Gurdharshan Singh in the Nabha Constituency. Votes are being counted today in 57 of the 104 Assembly seats. An important Independent victory was that of Maharaja Yadavendra Singh of Patiala from the Dakala constituency.