Majority of sikhs voted for akali dal in punjab
http://www.hinduonnet.com/nic/howindiavoted2009/page6.pdf
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Punjab, a
resurgent
Congress
increased
its vote
share by 10
percentage points since
2004. Paradoxical as it may
sound, the verdict came as a
relief for some Akalis who
had feared a complete rout.
They managed to save face
by winning two seats each in
Majha and Malwa regions.
In the Congress bastion
of Deoba, the National
Democratic Alliance (NDA)
was rejected. With an almost
44 per cent vote share,
the Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata
Party combine was only
one percentage point
short of the Congress count.
The Congress consolidated
its position in its rural
stronghold, but the NDA
lost a part of its traditional
urban voters. The Congress
clocked a seven-percentage
point lead among urban voters.
The Bahujan Samaj Party
(BSP)seems to have lost
substantial ground in Punjab,
with its vote share declining
from 7.6 per cent in
2004 to 5.8 per cent in 2009.
Around 40 per cent of respondents
agreed with the
proposition that the Congress
declared Manmohan
Singh as its Prime Ministerial
candidate only to woo
Sikh voters. But more Hindus
than Sikhs in Punjab expressed
faith in his
leadership. At 42 per cent,
his popularity in Punjab is
higher than anywhere else
in the country and much
higher than the neighbouring
States.
On the development
front, 30 per cent valued the
work done by the State government
while 26 per cent
preferred the work done by
Central government. As
many as 69 per cent of the
respondents were happy
with the United Progressive
Alliance (UPA) government’s
performance while
56 per cent were satisfied
with the Akali-NDA government.
The opposition leader,
Capt. Amarinder Singh of
the Congress, is a more preferred
candidate for the
Chief Minister’s post than
the present Chief Minister,
Parkash Singh Badal. His attempt
to induct his son may
have politically harmed
him. Around 39 per cent felt
that Sukhbir Singh Badal
lacked the experience to be
Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister
and 29 thought otherwise.
Thirty-two per cent
had no opinion on this issue.
Allegations of vindictive
politics and rigging in the
last panchayat and municipal
elections may also have
harmed the Akali-BJP combine’s
prospects.
The Sikhs were firmly behind
the Akali-BJP combine.
But the Congress has a
20 percentage point lead
over the NDA among Hindu
upper caste voters.
The BSP got 20 per cent
of the Dalit vote, mostly
from the Ramdasia community,
but was way behind the
Congress, which continues
to command the support of
60 per cent of Punjab’s
Scheduled Caste voters.
Voters in Punjab think
the Congress can effectively
maintain law and order,
solve the Sutlej-Yamuna
water dispute, curb corruption,
take care of the Dalit
interests, and maintain
good relations between
Hindus and Sikhs.
However, the Akali Dal is
seen as a party capable of
solving the agrarian crisis.
This means that all is still
not lost for the Akalis in
Punjab.
Sikhs still back the Akali Dal, but
the Congress has solid support
from Hindu upper class and Dalit
voters
http://www.hinduonnet.com/nic/howindiavoted2009/page6.pdf
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Punjab, a
resurgent
Congress
increased
its vote
share by 10
percentage points since
2004. Paradoxical as it may
sound, the verdict came as a
relief for some Akalis who
had feared a complete rout.
They managed to save face
by winning two seats each in
Majha and Malwa regions.
In the Congress bastion
of Deoba, the National
Democratic Alliance (NDA)
was rejected. With an almost
44 per cent vote share,
the Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata
Party combine was only
one percentage point
short of the Congress count.
The Congress consolidated
its position in its rural
stronghold, but the NDA
lost a part of its traditional
urban voters. The Congress
clocked a seven-percentage
point lead among urban voters.
The Bahujan Samaj Party
(BSP)seems to have lost
substantial ground in Punjab,
with its vote share declining
from 7.6 per cent in
2004 to 5.8 per cent in 2009.
Around 40 per cent of respondents
agreed with the
proposition that the Congress
declared Manmohan
Singh as its Prime Ministerial
candidate only to woo
Sikh voters. But more Hindus
than Sikhs in Punjab expressed
faith in his
leadership. At 42 per cent,
his popularity in Punjab is
higher than anywhere else
in the country and much
higher than the neighbouring
States.
On the development
front, 30 per cent valued the
work done by the State government
while 26 per cent
preferred the work done by
Central government. As
many as 69 per cent of the
respondents were happy
with the United Progressive
Alliance (UPA) government’s
performance while
56 per cent were satisfied
with the Akali-NDA government.
The opposition leader,
Capt. Amarinder Singh of
the Congress, is a more preferred
candidate for the
Chief Minister’s post than
the present Chief Minister,
Parkash Singh Badal. His attempt
to induct his son may
have politically harmed
him. Around 39 per cent felt
that Sukhbir Singh Badal
lacked the experience to be
Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister
and 29 thought otherwise.
Thirty-two per cent
had no opinion on this issue.
Allegations of vindictive
politics and rigging in the
last panchayat and municipal
elections may also have
harmed the Akali-BJP combine’s
prospects.
The Sikhs were firmly behind
the Akali-BJP combine.
But the Congress has a
20 percentage point lead
over the NDA among Hindu
upper caste voters.
The BSP got 20 per cent
of the Dalit vote, mostly
from the Ramdasia community,
but was way behind the
Congress, which continues
to command the support of
60 per cent of Punjab’s
Scheduled Caste voters.
Voters in Punjab think
the Congress can effectively
maintain law and order,
solve the Sutlej-Yamuna
water dispute, curb corruption,
take care of the Dalit
interests, and maintain
good relations between
Hindus and Sikhs.
However, the Akali Dal is
seen as a party capable of
solving the agrarian crisis.
This means that all is still
not lost for the Akalis in
Punjab.
Sikhs still back the Akali Dal, but
the Congress has solid support
from Hindu upper class and Dalit
voters
