By IANS,
Chandigarh : Punjab’s ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance maintained their lead in 65 of 117 seats for which trends were available as votes were counted Tuesday.
The Akali Dal was leading in 54 seats while BJP was leading in 11 seats at 11 a.m.
The Congress, which had been confident of forming a government in the state, recovered partially and was leading in 48 seats in trends available. An hour before that, the Congress was leading in only 36 seats.
Independents and others were leading in four seats.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was leading in the Lambi seat against his younger brother Gurdas Badal of the People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) and cousin Maheshinder Singh Badal.
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh (Patiala-urban) and Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal (Jalalabad) were leading on their respective seats.
PPP president Manpreet Singh Badal was trailing on both assembly seats, Gidderbaha and Maur, which he contested.
Counting of votes started in Punjab at 8 a.m. Tuesday.