Politics of Punjab, India

Politics in reorganised present-day Punjab is dominated by mainly two parties. One is Shiromani Akali Dal(Badal)[1] and the other is Indian National Congress.[2] Since 1967, Chief Minister of Punjab has been predominantly from Jatt Sikh community despite its 21 percent state population.[3][4][5] Only exception was Giani Zail Singh, the Chief Minister of Punjab from 17 March 1972 to 30 April 1977 belonging to Ramgarhia community[6][7] that has population of 6 percent and is a part of significant OBC community having population of 31.3 percent in the state.[8] However Scheduled Castes (Dalit) community never had Chief Minister from community[9] nor proper representation in Government, despite having 32 percent population in the state.[10][11] Other prominent party is Bahujan Samaj Party especially in Doaba region[12][13][14][15] founded by Kanshi Ram of Rupnagar district.[16] In 1992 BSP won 9 seats Vidhan Sabha elections.[17] Also BSP won 3 lok sabha seats from Punjab in 1996 general elections[18] [19] and only Garhshanker seat in 1997 Vidhan Sabha elections.[20] Communist parties too have some influence in the Malwa area.[21] In the 2014 general elections, the first-time contesting Aam Aadmi Party got 4 out of 13 seats in Punjab by winning 34 of the total 117 assembly segments, coming second in 7, third in 73 and fourth in the rest 3 segments.[22] The support for the Aam Aadmi Party increased later in Punjab.[23][24] The current Government was elected in the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections and the Congress won 77 out of 117 Assembly seats with Captain Amarinder Singh as the current Chief Minister. The AAP, fighting its first assembly election in the state, won 20 seats. The incumbent BJP-SAD alliance came third with 18 seats.[25]