<p>Congress chief ministerial candidate Charanjit Singh Channi on Sunday appealed to the electorates to cast their vote for a progressive change.</p>.<p>A confident Channi told the media that the Congress is retaining the helm with a two-thirds majority. The polling began at 8 am and will continue till 6 pm. The counting of ballots will take place on March 10.</p>.<p>"As Punjab is going to poll today, practice your constitutional right by casting your valuable vote for a progressive change. Also, urge your family and friends to step out and vote because every single vote counts," Channi tweeted.</p>.<p>Earlier, he paid obeisance at Gurdwara Sri Katalgarh Sahib in Chamkaur Sahib.</p>.<p>In the polls, 1,304 candidates—1,209 men, 93 women and two transgenders—are in the fray. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.</p>.<p>Chief Minister Channi is in the fray from Chamkaur Sahib, a reserved seat that he has won three times in a row. It is currently in the news for illegal sand mining.</p>.<p>Channi, who was elevated as the CM after Capt Amarinder Singh's resignation on September 18 last year, is the first Scheduled Caste CM of a state that is home to 32 per cent Scheduled Caste population, the highest in the country. He is also contesting from Bhadaur in Barnala district, a second seat, apart from Chamkaur Sahib.</p>.<p>Political observers told <em>IANS</em> that in these elections the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is seen as the alternative to the traditional parties that have dominated Punjab's electoral space for decades.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read — <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/election/punjab/charanjit-singh-channi-sidhu-moosewala-booked-for-violating-poll-code-1083145.html" target="_blank">Charanjit Singh Channi, Sidhu Moosewala booked for violating poll code</a></strong></p>.<p>Undeterred, SAD President Sukhbir Badal told <em>IANS</em> in an exclusive interview that the SAD-BSP alliance will sweep the polls and there is no question of rejoining the BJP-led NDA government. The party is determined to break Congress leader Sidhu's arrogance. And Parkash Singh Badal is a people's man and he's contesting at the age of 94 is a natural corollary.</p>.<p>In the 2017 Assembly elections, the Congress had won an absolute majority by winning 77 seats in the 117-member Punjab assembly and ousted the SAD-BJP government after 10 years.</p>.<p>The AAP had emerged as the second-largest party, winning 20 seats. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) won 15 seats, while the BJP, which had a coalition government with the Akali Dal in Punjab from 2007 to 2017, secured three seats.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
<p>Congress chief ministerial candidate Charanjit Singh Channi on Sunday appealed to the electorates to cast their vote for a progressive change.</p>.<p>A confident Channi told the media that the Congress is retaining the helm with a two-thirds majority. The polling began at 8 am and will continue till 6 pm. The counting of ballots will take place on March 10.</p>.<p>"As Punjab is going to poll today, practice your constitutional right by casting your valuable vote for a progressive change. Also, urge your family and friends to step out and vote because every single vote counts," Channi tweeted.</p>.<p>Earlier, he paid obeisance at Gurdwara Sri Katalgarh Sahib in Chamkaur Sahib.</p>.<p>In the polls, 1,304 candidates—1,209 men, 93 women and two transgenders—are in the fray. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.</p>.<p>Chief Minister Channi is in the fray from Chamkaur Sahib, a reserved seat that he has won three times in a row. It is currently in the news for illegal sand mining.</p>.<p>Channi, who was elevated as the CM after Capt Amarinder Singh's resignation on September 18 last year, is the first Scheduled Caste CM of a state that is home to 32 per cent Scheduled Caste population, the highest in the country. He is also contesting from Bhadaur in Barnala district, a second seat, apart from Chamkaur Sahib.</p>.<p>Political observers told <em>IANS</em> that in these elections the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is seen as the alternative to the traditional parties that have dominated Punjab's electoral space for decades.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read — <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/election/punjab/charanjit-singh-channi-sidhu-moosewala-booked-for-violating-poll-code-1083145.html" target="_blank">Charanjit Singh Channi, Sidhu Moosewala booked for violating poll code</a></strong></p>.<p>Undeterred, SAD President Sukhbir Badal told <em>IANS</em> in an exclusive interview that the SAD-BSP alliance will sweep the polls and there is no question of rejoining the BJP-led NDA government. The party is determined to break Congress leader Sidhu's arrogance. And Parkash Singh Badal is a people's man and he's contesting at the age of 94 is a natural corollary.</p>.<p>In the 2017 Assembly elections, the Congress had won an absolute majority by winning 77 seats in the 117-member Punjab assembly and ousted the SAD-BJP government after 10 years.</p>.<p>The AAP had emerged as the second-largest party, winning 20 seats. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) won 15 seats, while the BJP, which had a coalition government with the Akali Dal in Punjab from 2007 to 2017, secured three seats.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>