2012 Punjab Legislative Assembly election

The Punjab legislative assembly election, 2012 was held on 30 January 2012, to elect 117 members to the 14th Punjab Legislative Assembly. The results of the election were announced on 6 March 2012. The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal – Bharatiya Janata Party alliance led by Parkash Singh Badal won the elections and became Chief Minister of Punjab for the fifth time.

Background

Punjab have tradition of transfer of power every 5 years between Shiromani Akali Dal and Indian National Congress but this election of 2012 is different from others where ruling party again came to power
2012 Assembly Elections in Punjab received attention for being the first elections after reorganisation of Punjab in 1966 to witness the return of an incumbent party.
This elections also saw the emergence of new political leadership, like rise of Sukhbir Singh Badal and the rise and fall of Manpreet Singh Badal, the founder of the Peoples Party of Punjab.

Religion Data
As per the 2011 census,
Caste 'Data'

Dalits constitute 31.94% of the population, the highest percentage amongst all the states.
Other Backward Classes like -Sainis, Sunar, Kambojs, Tarkhans/Ramgarhias, Gurjars, Kumhars/Prajapatis, Telis, Banjaras, Lohars constitute 31.3% of the population.
Jat-Sikhs comprise 21% of the population while other forward castes - Brahmins, Khatris/Bhapas, Bania, Thakurs/Rajputs constitute around rest.
As of 2016, Government of India has not publicly released Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 caste population data for every single non-SC/ST castes in India.

Schedule for General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Punjab 2012

S.No.	Event	Date	Day
1.	Date for Nominations	05.01.2012	Thursday
2.	Last Date for filing Nominations	12.01.2012	Thursday
3.	Date for scrutiny of nominations	13.01.2012	Friday
4.	Last date for withdrawal of candidatures	16.01.2012	Monday
5.	Date of poll	30.01.2012	Monday
6.	Date of counting	04.03.2012	Sunday
7.	Date before which the election shall be completed	09.03.2012	Friday

No.	Party	Flag	Symbol	Photo	Leader	Seats contested
1.	People's Party of Punjab				Manpreet Singh Badal	87
2.	Communist Party of India (Marxist)					9
3.	Communist Party of India					14
4.	Shiromani Akali Dal (Longowal)

No.	Party	Flag	Symbol	Photo	Leader	Seats contested
1.	Bahujan Samaj Party				Jasbir Singh Garhi	117

Source:

No.	Party	Seats contested
1.	Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar)	57
2.	BSP	17
3.	BGTD	10
4	Nationalist Congress Party	13
5.	Communist Party of India (M–L) Liberation	7
6.	BSA	6
7	BCP	3
8	BRSP	6
9	Lok Janshakti Party	26
10	Rashtriya Janata Dal	1
11	Independent politician	418
12	Shiv Sena	12
13	SSPD	5

Most of the opinion polls predicted that Congress will win the election. They were proved wrong as Congress finished as the runner up.

2012 exit polls for Punjab Assembly Elections results.

'''Among parties:'''