ABSTRACT
The Punjab essay argues that the most significant development of 2019 election in Punjab was the unprecedented victory of the Congress which made the state as an outlier in almost entire India except Kerala. Not only this, neither the narrative of the national security nor the strong/decisive national leader projection could find much traction in the state. The other two important developments of this election were the significant loss of the support of the traditional Sikh Jat community for the Akali Dal as the party is seen as wavering from its age-old panthic agenda. The party leadership has also been blamed for diminishing the role of the two important institutions for the Sikhs i.e. Akal Takht and SGPC. The lack of internal democracy and the dominance of a particular family has also hurt the SAD. The sharp decline in the electoral support of the AAP, the main opposition party in the state, was another notable factor. Despite the disenchantment with the AAP, the electorates in the state do look for the third alternative. It was evident in the performance of PDA as the alliance of six minor parties in the state polled more than 10 per cent of votes.
